


A Beautiful Story

by Loulou26



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic, General Situations, Present Tense, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-03-30 18:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 34,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3946558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loulou26/pseuds/Loulou26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a collection of Tumblr prompts and drabbles that I've received lately. Enjoy :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's A Girl?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: A pregnant Felicity catches her husband Oliver, reading up about pregnancy online and buying baby accessories too.

“What are you doing?”

Felicity smiled as Oliver practically jumped out of the chair in the Foundry. It was next to impossible to sneak up on that man, so he was clearly up to something. He quickly closed the page he’d been browsing and turned to her with a guilty expression.

“Okay, that makes me even more curious.” She said, stepping around him to lean over her desk. “You do realise that I can easily see what you were looking at. So you should probably tell me now if you were looking at something…well something a wife doesn’t need to know about.”

Oliver’s eyebrows shot up. “What? No! Why would I…?” He let out a sigh and leaned over to pull the page back up. “There.”

As she glanced at the page, her heart melted. “Oh, Oliver. You could’ve just told me. Why would you want to hide this?”

The uncertainty and almost shyness on his face made her want to kiss him, so she sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. 

“I wasn’t ‘hiding’ it. I just…well you told me it’s too early to tell anyone and I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

With a small chuckle, she leaned in and touched her forehead to his as his arms banded around her waist. “I didn’t realise you were this nervous.”

She glanced back at the page on her screen. He’d been researching pregnancy pages, looking up information.  Though she wasn’t exactly sure why he needed to know everything this early on. 

He shrugged. “I just want to be prepared, that’s all. I don’t want anything to go wrong.”

She’d been so nervous telling him. They’d only been married for three months and now a baby would soon be joining them. “Oliver, I’m eight weeks pregnant, we have lots of time.”

“I know but, I just…”

“Just what?”

“I want to take care of you while you’re going through all of this.”

Felicity sighed. This man, a man who could instill so much fear into the hearts of others, was such a sweetheart when it came to her. “That’s sweet.”

He smiled as he tilted his head, gently pressing his lips to hers. One hand found its way to her belly, and she could feel the warmth from his palm seeping into her skin. 

“There are two tabs open.” She muttered as she pulled back. “What’s the other one?”

She could easily find out herself, but she wanted him to tell her. His face lit up as he grinned.

“I found some things I want to buy.”

Felicity laughed, looking through the items he’d been browsing. “Want to buy? Or already bought? Half of this isn’t even baby stuff.” 

He chuckled, but she could still see the apprehension in his eyes. “Both of my girls deserve everything I can give them.”

“Oh it’s a girl?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She leaned back against his chest, shivering when his scruff scratched against her throat. His hand still rubbing her belly in rhythmic circles. “I like the idea of that.”

“We’ll be fine, Felicity.” He whispered in her ear. “Yes, I’m nervous, hell I’m terrified. But I’m also the happiest I have ever been. You gave me that. And I love you more than I could’ve ever imagined.”

Tears sprung to her eyes. She kissed her husband, emotions threatening to overwhelm her. “I love you too.”

 


	2. We're Engaged!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Oliver and Felicity announce their engagement to their friends. Oliver asks Dig to be his best man. Felicity asks Thea and Lyla to be her bridesmaids. Sara is the flower girl.

Oliver leaned back against the bar, watching in fascination as Felicity nervously paced the nightclub’s floor in front of him. Five months, four days. That’s how long it had taken him to pop the big question. Felicity never saw it coming either, judging from the three-minute ramble that had followed his proposal. It had taken him a while to calm her down.

“They’re late.”

Pushing himself off the bar, Oliver walked over to her, smoothing his hands down her bare arms. “Relax, they’ll be here.”

She glanced up at him and winced. “I’m being ridiculous, aren’t I?”

“No, I think it’s cute.”

As he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her body flush against his, she placed her left hand over the centre of his chest. “I love you.”

Her breathy sigh stirred something deep within his chest. He would never tire of hearing those three words, or of being able to say them back. He’d wasted so much time pushing her away. But no more. “You know how much I love you, Felicity. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up to you, hearing you talk in your sleep. Your constant rambling, the way you tear up at sad commercials. I want…everything.”

Her eyes grew misty as she tipped her chin up; inviting him to kiss those luscious lips that he loved so much. Just as he was about to, the main door swung open.

“Okay, what’s the emergency?” Diggle said as he entered, Lyla carrying Sara close behind.

Felicity groaned and dropped her head against his chest. “Now they show up?”

Oliver chuckled, turning to face him. “No emergency, at least not tonight.” His eyes narrowed when he saw Sara. “Though I’m curious, if you thought there was one, why did you bring Sara?”

“Felicity’s message sounded urgent, she asked to see both of us, and we couldn’t get a sitter. What were we supposed to do, leave her home alone?”

“Leave who home alone?” Thea asked as she sauntered in. Her face lit up when she saw Sara. Since learning Oliver’s secret, Thea had been growing closer to the entire team, Sara included. “Hey there, cutie!”

Oliver cleared his throat to get their attention. “Guys, Felicity and I have something we want to tell you.”

Three serious faces turned their way, and Oliver felt Felicity press herself closer to his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, surprised to feel her tremble. “We’re-“

“Engaged!” Felicity finished, holding up her left hand to display her new ring.

“Oh my God, Ollie!” Thea shrieked, diving forward to grab Felicity’s hand and get a better look. “Why didn’t you tell me? I knew something was going on with you! You were acting so weird. Congratulations!”

Diggle stepped forward, grinning. “You’re not as subtle as you think, man.”

“What do you mean? Wait, you knew?”

“Not for sure, but I had my suspicions.”

“Did everyone have these suspicions?” He directed the question to all three of them. When they nodded, he threw up his hands and shook his head.

“Congratulations you two. I couldn’t be happier for you. I can’t think of two people who deserve this more.” Diggle said, hugging them both.

“Thanks, John.” Felicity replied, still holding onto Thea’s hand. “Thea, Lyla, can I talk to you over there for a second?”

As the women made their way over to the bar, Diggle and Oliver stayed where they were. “Do you remember what you said when you asked me to be your best man?”

Diggle chuckled. “You mean when we both thought we were gonna die? Sure, I remember.”

“I’ve never had a brother. Not until I met you, and I value that relationship, more than you’ll ever know. You’ve pulled me back from the edge so many times, I’ve lost count.”

“I wasn’t the only one.” Diggle said glancing over Oliver’s shoulder at Felicity.

“No, but you’ve always been there for me. And I just wanted to ask…will you be my best man?”

Diggle clapped him on the shoulder, shaking his head as he feigned disappointment. “You even have to ask?”

Over at the bar, Thea and Lyla were listening closely as Felicity recited Oliver’s proposal from the night before.

“I’m so happy for you, Felicity.” Thea said, hugging her tightly. “I don’t think I could get a better sister-in-law. After the island, I never thought I would see my brother this happy. It’s like he’s…finally complete. So thank you.”

“That’s so sweet, Thea.” Felicity replied, feeling the tears threatening again. Why was she so emotional all of a sudden?

“This is a long time coming.” Lyla said, lightly bouncing Sara on her hip.

Felicity frowned. “We’ve only been dating for five months.”

Lyla tilted her head and gave her a serious look. “And yet, when I married Johnny, you and Oliver couldn’t keep your eyes off one another. I could see how much you two loved each other. I don’t think I was the only one either.”

Thea nodded, grinning. “Certainly wasn’t. You two are not as secretive as you might like to believe.”

Were they really that obvious? Felicity wondered. It didn’t matter. What mattered were the people she loved most in the world, here in this room with her. “I have a question I’d like to ask the three of you. Not that Sara can answer yet, but I’m hoping it’s a yes and I’m sure she’d love to be-“

“Felicity?” Lyla grasped her shoulder. “Breathe.”

“Sorry, I do that when I get nervous. Though I don’t know why I’m nervous, I mean, I’m pretty sure I know the answer…”

“Felicity,” This time Thea spoke, smiling gently. “We’d love to be your bridesmaids.”

Lyla nodded. “And Sara would very much like to be your flower girl too.”

Again, her eyes misted over. “Thank you.”

Oliver appeared next to her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You okay?”

She wrapped an arm around his waist, and leaned her head against his chest. Looking around at the four people in front of her, their happy faces filled her heart with joy.

“I’m perfect.”


	3. I Can't Leave You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Oliver & Felicity saying goodbye on 3x20

She couldn’t do it. After finally giving in and letting her feelings overcome her, Felicity couldn’t let him go. She sat on the edge of the luxurious bed, finger combing her hair, as Oliver got dressed. Last night, she’d let down her walls, allowed him to see how much she loved him. Because she knew, deep down, that this might very well be the last time she ever saw him.

The thought of that alone was enough to send a spike shooting through her chest.

She felt the bed dip behind her, and then her hair was being swept away from her neck, quickly replaced by lips that were soft and warm. With a small groan, she leaned back into his chest as his arms wrapped around her middle.

“Are you okay?”

He sounded calm, happy even. How could that be when she was doing everything she could just to hold it all together? She’d thought she’d known pain. All the times Oliver had pulled away from her, every time he’d pushed her away. But that was nothing compared to this.

“I’m fine.”

She knew he knew she was lying. As she turned her head to look at him, she could see it reflected in his eyes. This was hurting him as much as it was her. And there was nothing either of them could do about it. Saving Thea was the most important thing, something she could never ask him not to do.

It had worked. Thea was alive, albeit, a little different, but alive. But now Oliver was stuck here. Heir to the Demon. A part of the League of Assassins.

“I love you, Felicity.” He whispered, his lips grazing her temple.

She bit her bottom lip and blinked fast to stop the tears forming. “I love you too.”

There was a light tap on the door. Diggle poked his head in, his face sombre. “It’s time.”

Right, Felicity thought. Time to leave. Drawing in a deep breath, she got to her feet. Oliver moved around the bed to stand in front of her. He didn’t speak, but his eyes told her everything he was feeling. With a sad smile, she reached up and cupped his cheek.

He leaned into her touch for a moment, then drew her hand down and squeezed tightly as he led her to the door.

Outside, Diggle was waiting with their bags. Thea was going to remain here until she was strong enough to leave, and Malcolm was nowhere to be seen. Good, she thought. Maybe Ra’s had killed him already.

As she stepped into the cold morning air, Ra’s appeared behind them. His stoic expression angered her, making her want to fly at him. She knew she couldn’t possibly do any damage, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to try.

As if sensing her thoughts, Oliver tugged her closer, wrapping one arm around her waist as the other pressed her head to his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t. Don’t do that. I don’t regret anything.” She glanced up, and her jaw dropped when she saw tears falling freely from his eyes. “Oliver…”

“I never wanted this, Felicity. I never wanted you to be unhappy. But this is the only way.”

Her voice cracked. “I know.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ra’s take a step towards them. “It’s time, Miss Smoak.”

Breathing became difficult, her chest constricting as she looked at Oliver’s face. How could she leave him?

The panic took over, and she threw her arms around his neck, squeezing so tightly that she was sure she heard something crack. “I can’t.”

“Felicity…” Oliver breathed, squeezing her just as hard.

“No! I can’t do it. I can’t leave you here. It’s not fair, Oliver. It’s not-“

He drew back just enough to stare into her eyes. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, I promise you. I will be okay. But you…you have to go now.”

His words sliced through her, and the strength she’d been using to hide her feelings, snapped. Tears flowed, streaming down her cheeks as she choked on a sob. “I can’t leave you.”

“You have to.” Oliver’s voice was barely above a whisper. His head swooped down, his lips capturing hers in a searing kiss that she felt right down to her soul. This was it.

“I love you.” She said, leaning her forehead against his.

“I will  _always_  love you, Felicity.”

Diggle took her free hand, tugging hard until she broke contact with Oliver. When she looked up, she saw the reason why. Ten members of the League were standing behind Ra’s, awaiting his instruction to forcibly remove them.

Diggle grabbed their bags and headed towards the path that would lead them down to the private jet. Her eyes never once left Oliver’s.

Once they were on the plane, she felt her heart scream for him. “What are we doing, John? We can’t leave him here.”

“For now, we don’t have a choice, Felicity.”

It was too hard to look at the tears in Diggle’s eyes. So Felicity curled her knees up to her chest and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. She frowned when she felt something in there.

Pulling it out, she realised it was a note. From Oliver.

“ _No matter what happens, I will find a way back to you_.  _I love you._ ”

Felicity swiped angrily at her tears. But for the first time since she’d left him, she felt a tiny glimmer of hope. There was no way he’d tell her that, if he didn’t mean it. She just had to hold on a little longer.


	4. I'll Always Come Back To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: their first meeting after their goodbye in 3x20. (See it like them meeting for the first time after the goodbye, a continuation of the last prompt)

“ _No matter what happens, I will find a way back to you. I love you.”_

For two months, he had held on. Eight weeks of torturous training to become the next Ra’s Al Ghul, and through it all, the only thing that had kept Oliver going, was that note.

Because it was hope. It was a promise to the one he loved. A promise he intended to keep.

“You’re ready.”

Oliver threw the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder and turned to face Nyssa. “I’m more than ready.”

Nyssa nodded, a slight smile gracing her face. “I am in your debt, Oliver Queen. Should you need anything-“

Oliver held up a hand, eager to cut this conversation short. “I don’t want anything from the League, Nyssa. Our connection ends here.”

She inclined her head and stepped out of his way. “Then please, allow me to grant you your freedom.”

He stepped past her, towards the large open doors, his freedom, and everything else he wanted, on the other side.

 _Felicity_.

Memories of their one night together assaulted him. He could still feel her skin against his, her warm breath against his neck. The way she trembled as she held onto him. For the first time in so long, the memories didn’t bring pain or regret for what they’d both lost.

So many times, he had almost given up, remembering the heartbreak in her expression, the pain in those beautiful eyes. It broke his heart each time he thought about how tightly she’d held onto him, refusing to let go.

Slowly, he made his way down the winding path, to the jet that Nyssa had prepared for his departure. Though they’d acted as partners in recent weeks, he didn’t trust her, and the sooner he was out of here, the better.

Together they had defeated Ra’s, killing him before he could kill them. Oliver, becoming Ra’s upon his death, abdicated immediately, and handed control of the League back to Nyssa.

Finally, he was free.

~~~~~~~~~~

It didn’t take long to track her down. Oliver smiled as he silently walked down the concrete steps to their new lair. The secondary one he’d set up so long ago. He knew it looked different, could see it in his peripheral vision, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Felicity long enough to look.

She was sitting at her computer station, silent, eyes staring off into the distance as she twiddled something around in her left hand. He paused when he realised what the battered, torn piece of paper was. His note. She’d held onto it.

He was about to speak when she leaned back in her chair, a tired sigh that hurt his heart, escaping her. He watched as she brought the note up to hold against her chest, and then he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“You don’t need that anymore.”

He heard her gasp, sitting forward, frozen like a statue.

“Please tell me you’re really standing there and not a hallucination?”

“Felicity.” He said her name so softly, it was almost a prayer. The next thing he knew, he was being rocked back on his feet, catching her with ease as she locked her legs around his waist.

She cupped his face in both hands and stared into his eyes, assessing him for any damage, both physical and emotional. “How?”

He brought one hand up to the back of her neck, his fingers disappearing into her soft hair. “That doesn’t matter right now.”

“I never gave up hope, it was hard, but I never gave up.”

He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away a tear. “No more crying, Felicity. No more waiting, I’m home.”

She let out a half-laugh, half-sob, and lowered her head to capture his lips. Flashes of the night when he’d held her this exact same way went through him, making his heart sing as he deepened the kiss.

“I missed you.” She whispered, peppering little kisses across his face and down his jawline.

Swallowing against the rush of emotion, Oliver lowered them both down onto a nearby sofa, Felicity straddling him. When he looked up, his heart skipped a beat. The light behind gave her an almost angelic glow as her hair fell around her face. He smiled. She  _was_  his angel.

“I can’t believe you’re finally home.” She sniffled, her fingers toying with the collar of his shirt.

“Felicity…” He trailed off, waiting for her to look at him. He didn’t know if he was doing the right thing, but he had to try. When she looked at him, her eyes shining, he couldn’t think. Couldn’t speak. So he kissed her instead.

Placing a hand over his heart, Felicity pulled back. “Are you okay?”

“I am now.”

“Are you hungry? Because I could get you something, or we could go to Big Belly Burger.”

He chuckled. “No, I don’t need food.”

“What do you need?” Her voice was tentative, almost shaky, and he understood the hidden meaning in her question.

“Only you. For the rest of my life.” It all clicked into place. There was no Oliver without Felicity. He knew that as surely as he knew his own name. “Marry me, Felicity.”

Her eyes went wide as she froze. “What?”

He licked his lips. “I had a lot of time to think while I was gone. And I don’t ever want to lose you again. I  _can’t_. You’re the other half of me. So I need to know, will you marry me?”

Her breathing grew faster as she stared at him. For minutes, they sat in silence, and after a while, Oliver started to doubt himself. Was it too soon for them?

Then he heard it. It was quiet, but the most wonderful sound he’d ever heard. 

“Yes.”

“Really?”

Sniffling, Felicity leaned her forehead against his, staring deep into his eyes. “Yes, I will marry you, Oliver Queen.”

He grasped her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks, as he tilted his head and brought her lips down to his. She was his everything, his heart, his soul. His  _life._


	5. My Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Oliver in the future with his kids. Thank you!

“Aren’t you hungry?” Oliver asked, popping a french fry into his mouth as he sat across the table from his daughter.

She shook her head, sending her blonde waves tumbling around her face, obscuring his view. He sighed, something was wrong with her lately. She had been so distant, so quiet. Considering the fact that she had inherited Felicity’s penchant for rambling, it was deeply out of character for her.

“Ellie.” He said quietly, waiting for her to look up. When she did, he was struck by the sadness in her eyes. At ten years old, she was the spitting image of her mother. She had blonde hair that curled no matter how much she didn’t want it to, and bright blue eyes that seemed to see so much.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” He asked, hoping that she would open up to him. Whenever she’d been sad in the past, she had always told him what was bothering her. Felicity always said that she was a daddy’s girl but right now, it didn’t feel that way. It made his heart ache seeing her like this. He didn’t know how to reach her.

“Where’s Mom?” She asked, her voice so quiet and withdrawn. She stared down at her plate as she pushed a fry through her ketchup, creating patterns.

“She’s at work. I thought you and I could spend some time together today.”

His daughter shrugged and pushed her plate away, then sat back in her seat and crossed her arms.

Oliver rubbed his temple, wondering how else to approach this. Felicity’s voice echoed in his head, teasing him that maybe Ellie had reached the age of noticing boys. That particular subject that made him deeply uncomfortable, and frankly, it was something that Felicity should talk to her about.

“Okay, I know something’s bothering you, and I won’t force you to talk about it. But I want you to know that you can, if you want. You can tell me anything. You’ve always known that, right?”

Her little face softened as she looked at him, and he saw the corners of her mouth tilt up. “I know that, Dad. But this is…complicated.”

“Why don’t you try me? I might be able to help.”

Ellie let out a loud sigh and glanced out of the window.

“Do you uh…” Oliver cleared his throat. “Do you have a crush? You know, on a boy?”

Ellie’s head whipped back around to stare at him, her eyes narrowed. “What? No! Did Mom tell you that?”

“No, well…she might’ve mentioned that you might-“

She held up her hand, cutting him off. “Dad, it’s not a boy.”

Relief washed through him at that statement. He knew she was growing up, and boys would soon become an issue, but ten years old was far too young. Though if he was honest with himself, twenty years old would be too young too. She was his baby girl, and always would be.

“So what is it?”

Ellie closed her eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath. Something that Felicity always did before she was gearing up for an argument, or to confess something.

“You and Mom would never lie to me, right Dad?”

Oliver frowned. “Of course not, sweetheart.”

Her eyes locked onto his. “Then why did you?”

His eyebrows rose. “What do you mean? I’ve never-“

“I know you’re the Green Arrow, Dad.” She said in a hushed whisper.

Oliver felt the world around him tilt for a moment, shock and confusion rushing through him. “I uh…well. How do you know?”

She gave him a disapproving look. “I saw you in your suit. Last week when you came home to check on Mom.”

Oliver groaned, remembering the night she was talking about. Felicity hadn’t been feeling well, so she’d been directing him from her computers at home instead of the Foundry. But Ellie had been in bed, fast asleep. Or so he’d thought at the time.

“Ellie…” He reached across the table and covered her little hand with his. “We didn’t tell you because it wasn’t safe for you to know.”

“I know who the Green Arrow is. I’ve heard about him, about the things he does.”

Oliver winced, unsure of what her reaction would be. He’d never wanted to lie to her, but Felicity agreed with him that it wasn’t safe for her to know the truth until she was old enough to handle it. But now that she did know, he realised that all he wanted was for her to be proud.

“He saves people. He’s a hero.” She smiled slightly. “ _You’re_  a hero, Dad.”

Her words warmed his heart, even though the implications of her now knowing scared him. “We were just trying to protect you, sweetheart. It was never because we didn’t want you to know. There are a lot of bad people in the world, and it would kill me if anything ever happened to you.”

“But you let Mom help you. Isn’t it dangerous for her too?”

He nodded. “Yes, but your mom is a vital part of what I do. I couldn’t do it without her. But Ellie, your mother is always protected, I would  _never_  let anything happen to her.”

“I know. Just like I know that you wouldn’t let anything happen to me. But when I saw you, it made me feel bad. Don’t you trust me, Dad?”

Oliver immediately stood up, crossed the booth, and sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms. “Ellie, I would trust you with any secret. But this one, it could put your life at risk. I couldn’t take that chance.”

She snuggled a little closer to him, her head resting against his chest, and he took that as a good sign. “So it’s not because you think I would tell somebody? Because I can keep a secret, I promise.”

She had always been smart, but Oliver marvelled at just how deeply she’d thought about this. He’d never expected her to be this hurt.

“No, not at all. I know you can keep a secret. It was to keep you safe,  _only_  to keep you safe. You understand that, right? You and your mother…you’re my whole world. I couldn’t live if something happened to either of you.”

She glanced up at him and he was relieved to see the sadness fading away. “I love you, Dad. But you being the Green Arrow scares me.”

“Oh honey, why?”

“Because…you fight bad people. And I’ve seen Mom putting bandages on you before.”

His heart kicked in his chest. She was scared that he would get hurt or die? He couldn’t take that. “Ellie, listen to me. What I do, sometimes it can be dangerous. But, I don’t take the risks that I used to take, not since you came into our lives. You don’t need to worry, your Mom keeps me safe enough.”

When she didn’t reply, he gently tipped her chin up. “Hey, I will always come home to you, Ellie. You’re my baby girl.”

She smiled. “Good, because you know Mom would kick your butt if you didn’t.”

Oliver chuckled. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure she would.”

Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I like that you help people.”

“I like it too.” When she pulled back, he tucked her wavy hair behind her ear. “So are we okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, we’re okay.”

Oliver smiled at her, but his chest ached as he took in her innocent features. This wasn’t a world he’d ever wanted her to be a part of. She was so young, too young to really understand the real dangers. But she was also his and Felicity’s daughter. She was strong, determined. And very smart.

“What do you say we go home and watch some movies?”

She nodded. “That sounds good. Though you might want to get some take-out for Mom. You know how upset she got last time. The baby loves Big Belly Burgers.”

She chuckled and pointed at him, mimicking Felicity’s tone. “With extra pickles.”

Oliver laughed. “Yeah, I really shouldn’t forget that again huh?”

As they left their booth and crossed over to the counter, Ellie put her little hand in his. “I love you, Dad.”

Oliver smiled down at the only other girl to own his heart. “I love you too, sweetheart.


	6. My Family, My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation from the previous prompt.

He was busy wiping the kitchen counter down when he heard the tutting behind him. Turning his head, Oliver saw his sixteen-year-old daughter leaning against the island in the centre of the room. She looked pensive, as if she wanted to ask him something. He’d come to know that look, and it couldn’t lead anywhere good.

She was twirling a strand of blonde hair around her fingers. It had grown so long now, it was almost down to her hips. Yet when he looked at her, all he saw was that little ten year old girl that he took to Big Belly Burger so many times. It was scary how much time had passed, how much she’d grown.

“Ellie?”

She looked up at him. “Hmm?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Oh yeah. Fine.”

He smiled and shook his head, returning to his task.

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you ask Mom out for your first date?”

Oliver froze, his hand squeezing water out of the sponge onto the tiled floor. “Uh…it’s a long story. Why do you ask?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Just curious.”

Sensing where this might be going, and silently dreading it, Oliver turned to face her fully. “Why don’t you ask your mother?”

“She’s busy with Tommy. They’re planting something in the garden.”

“Oh.”  _Crap_ , he thought, feeling trapped. But he remembered all too well the conversation they’d had six years ago. Since that day, he’d always been honest with her. “Well, it was a normal day, like any other. The Arrow had finally been accepted by the city, I was trying to get my company back, and your mother was helping me with that.”

“The company you and Mom now  _both_  own?”

“The one and only.”

Ellie smiled. “Way to go, Mom.”

Oliver let out a breathy chuckle at the memory. She’d been so beautiful that day. “I was…nervous.”

Ellie scoffed. “You? Nervous?”

He threw her a mock glare. “Yes. Because this wasn’t like any other time that I’d asked someone out. Your mother was… _is_  different. I’d never felt like that about anyone before her.”

Ellie sighed and sat down on a nearby stool, leaning her chin on her hands. “That’s so romantic.”

Oliver frowned at the direction this was taking. He didn’t like it, not one bit. “So anyway, I uh…I asked her out. At first, she thought I was joking. But when she realised I was serious, she said yes.”

“What happened next?”

He really didn’t want to tell her about the date that ended so badly it messed them up for almost an entire year. “It went well.”

“That’s it? That’s all I get?”

“For now. Until you tell me why you want to know so badly.”

Ellie chuckled. “Touché, Dad.”

There was a little twinkle in her eye as she sighed. Oh, she knew what she was doing. He’d be willing to bet that Felicity was in on it too. Clearly, she remembered their conversation six years ago, too.

“There’s this guy…”

Oliver’s fist clenched, his entire body freezing.

“Woah, Dad relax.” She said, reaching over to loosen his death grip on the sponge. “It’s just, he’s cute, and I’ve had a crush on him since like…forever. He asked me out yesterday and…”

This was the part where he was supposed to speak. Right, say something encouraging. Don’t mess this up. All good advice, except when he looked over at her, he saw the little girl with blonde pigtails and a teddy bear tucked under her arm. She never went anywhere without that ratty old thing.

And now, she was a teenager. No, she was a young woman. It scared the hell out of him. He cleared his throat. “What’s his name?”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “I really don’t need you to go all GA on him.”

“GA?”

“Yeah, you know. Green Arrow. Anyway, he’s sweet, Dad. He’s kind and he likes helping people. I really like him. But when he asked me out…”

Oliver swallowed hard, he’d been through this with Felicity, knowing the day was coming. He thought he’d be more prepared than this. “What, sweetheart?”

“I kinda…squeaked. It was so embarrassing!”

Oliver couldn’t help it, the laughter bubbled up out of nowhere. Because it was something he could so see Felicity doing once upon a time, too. He tried to dampen it down when Ellie glared at him.

“It’s not funny, Dad! What do I do?”

Oliver reigned in the laughter and tried to be serious. “Well, did you say yes?”

Ellie’s eyes widened. “I think so. I’m not really sure; there was a lot of babbling on my part.”

“Well you have your mother to thank for that particular trait.”

Ellie’s expression turned serious, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Dad, you said I could talk to you about anything. What should I do?”

And that was all that really mattered, wasn’t it? His little girl needed his advice, she needed him. “I think you should call him.”

“Really?”

Oliver nodded. “Really. He clearly likes you, he asked you out. I’d say he is a very good judge of character.”

“What would I say though? He’ll probably laugh at me.”

“If he does, he’ll have me to answer to.” When he caught the look she gave him, he shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry. Just…I don’t know, sweetheart. Speak from the heart; tell him that you like him and that you’d love to go to dinner with him.”

“Would that work?”

Oliver smiled, his mind casting back to his first date with her mother. “It did for me.”

She hopped off her stool and threw her arms around his shoulders. “Thanks, Dad. You’re the best.”

He hugged her tightly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

When she pulled back, he could see that the twinkle had returned in her eyes. “Not bad, Dad. Not bad.”

His eyes narrowed. “Your mother put you up to this, didn’t she?”

Out in the living room, he heard a small chuckle, and that was all the answer he needed.

Ellie clapped him on the arm and headed for the door, stopping to turn back when he called her name. “Yeah?”

“I know that you like this boy. But you’re only sixteen, I don’t want you to get hurt. Please, be careful.”

He could see a thousand sarcastic answers practically fly through her mind, but she chose instead not to tease him anymore. “I will, Dad. You don’t have to worry about me. I have two of the best role models in the entire world.”

After she left, Felicity poked her head around the doorway.

“You.” He pointed a finger at her. “Do you see what you did?”

She sidled up to him in that little walk that she knew always drove him crazy. Even after all these years. “I think you handled that pretty well, actually.”

“I thought the girly stuff was your area.”

“Hey, I got the whole tampon vs pads debate, remember?” Felicity laughed, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You and Ellie have a bond, Oliver. She will  _always_  be a daddy’s girl. And sometimes, a girl needs her father more than she knows.”

He felt like an idiot. Of course, that’s what this was about. Felicity had encouraged Ellie to come to him because she’d never had that with her own father. She’d never had that support system in her life, and her mother was always too busy working to provide for them to give her one.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. “I love you so much, you know that right?”

“I do.” She smiled, nuzzling her nose against his. “I love you just as much.”

Oliver sighed and pulled her in against his chest, tightening his embrace. “I just want her to be happy.”

“She is. We all are. Because we have you.”

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. He was about to lean in for another kiss when he heard giggling at the doorway. Tommy stood there watching them, hand covering his mouth as if that would silence his laughter.

“Hey you, are you spying on us?” Oliver laughed, scooping his six year old up in his arms as he came running in.

“You and mommy were smoochin’.” He giggled again.

Oliver chuckled and drew Felicity in to his side. “Well, at least it’ll be a while before he’s dating, right?”

Felicity shook her head. “Oh no, he’s not dating until he’s at least thirty.”


	7. Start Of Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What about an alternate s4 au where olicity bonds with connor and have kids of their own?

Oliver stood in the kitchen, staring into the living room. He was so distracted that he didn’t even hear her enter, so when she touched his shoulder, he jumped ever so slightly.

“Are you okay?” Felicity asked, leaning her chin against his shoulder, inhaling as she nuzzled her nose against the fabric.

“I’m fine.”

“Is that the truth?”

“I don’t know, I’m just…I want him to be comfortable here.”

“He is.”

“I still don’t really know what to talk to him about.”

Felicity smiled and moved to stand directly in front of him. “Connor is your son, Oliver. Maybe you don’t need words. Maybe he just needs you to be with him, around him. He needs to know that you’re here. I mean, this is only the fourth time he’s come to our home. You have to be patient with him.”

Oliver drew in a deep breath and nodded. “Are you sure you’re still okay with all this?”

Felicity chuckled and reached up to caress his cheek, and he felt the coldness from her wedding band against his skin. “I am more than okay, Oliver. He’s your son, and that makes him a part of my family too. You’re already an amazing father. Connor needs to see that too.”

He felt the warmth from her words seep down right into his heart. How did she always know the right thing to say at the exact right time? She never stopped amazing him.

“Do you think he’ll be okay with Ava?” He asked, concerned. Ava was only one, but he didn’t know if Connor would be okay with the father he never knew already having a child.

“He’ll be fine. He’s a sweet kid. Come on,” She said, taking his hand and leading him back towards the living room.

Connor was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the sofa, reading a book. Oliver sat down next to him, while Felicity sat behind on the sofa. She was giving them space, but staying right by his side for support, he loved her even more for that.

“Hey buddy, what are you reading?”

Connor glanced up at him, and Oliver could see the nervousness in his eyes, but his smile was warm. He was cute, with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes like his mother’s, but he had Oliver’s nose and mouth. He held up the book. “Felicity gave it to me. It’s really cool.”

Oliver frowned and turned to look at Felicity behind him. “A book on computers? He’s ten years old.”

Felicity shrugged. “He asked for it, and he really seems to be interested in it.”

“Oh I am. I love computers.” Connor said enthusiastically. “I can understand most of it, too. And Felicity said that she would teach me how to put one together sometime. That would be so awesome!”

Oliver nodded, impressed that his son appeared to be highly intelligent. But it was the excitement in his voice that made Oliver smile. Felicity had really struck a chord with him. But then, she did that with everyone, so he really shouldn’t be surprised. “Nice.”

Connor put the book on the floor and looked up at him, his expression serious. “I like coming here. It’s really fun and Felicity is funny, she talks a lot.”

“Hey!” Felicity protested, smiling as she leaned over Oliver and ruffled Connor’s hair.

Oliver smiled as he smoothed it back into place for him. His heart jumped when he caught the little boy’s eyes. This was his  _son_. A son he hadn’t known about for the past ten years of his life. But even though he hated how it had happened, Oliver couldn’t help but wonder if it was better this way. So much had happened to him, with the island and the person he was when he returned. That person would not have made a good father.

But now, sitting here with his wife and son, he felt hopeful that the future would be great, for all four of them.

“Do you think…?” Connor started, but he trailed off, looking a little shy.

“What, buddy?”

“Could I maybe…come here more often?”

Oliver exhaled as he smiled. “Of course you can. We’d love to have you here more. We’ll work something out with your mom, don’t worry.”

“Cool, thanks Dad.”

Oliver froze, his eyes widening as Felicity’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. That was the first time he’d said it. And it felt glorious.

Connor froze too, realising what he’d said. “Is it…is it okay if I call you Dad?”

“Oh Connor, yes. I would love that, but only if you’re ready to.”

Connor threw him a smile. “Well, you are my dad. It makes sense, right?”

Before Oliver could reply, the shrill sound of a baby’s cry interrupted them, through the monitor that sat on the coffee table.

“Oh, I guess she’s done with her nap. Sorry, I thought she’d be down for longer than this.” Felicity said, leaning on his shoulder as she stood. “I’ll get her.”

“Is that Ava?” Connor asked.

Oliver nodded. They’d already told him about his sister, but they’d wanted him to settle and get comfortable with them before he met her. “Yeah.”

“Can I meet her?”

Oliver saw Felicity push the excitement down as she smiled. “Of course, I’ll just go get her.”

While she went to collect their daughter, Oliver scooted a little closer to Connor. He nudged his shoulder and chuckled.  “Are you sure you’re ready for that? She’s very loud.”

Connor lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “That’s okay, Mom sometimes babysits for our neighbour. Their baby is so loud, he hurts my ears sometimes.”

Oliver frowned at his son, wondering where his mind was right now. “Connor, listen…if I had known-”

“About me?”

“Yeah, believe me, I would’ve done things differently. I’m so sorry that you had to grow up without me, but I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“I hope not. I’m not mad at you, you know?”

Oliver didn’t know why, but those words soothed his nerves a little.

“You didn’t know about me. So it’s not your fault.”

Then Connor did something that shocked Oliver. He got up and wrapped his arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. It was the first time he’d done that, too.

As he hugged his son back, Oliver felt the tears prickle at his eyes, and he knew without any doubt, that he would  _always_  be there for him.

“Okay, are you ready to meet your baby sister?” Felicity asked, as she entered the room with a very red-faced little girl perched on her hip.

She handed Ava over to Oliver, and almost immediately, she stopped fussing and gazed up at him with a little smile.

“She kept crying for her daddy.”

Oliver tenderly kissed the top of her head, revelling in that baby smell. “Connor, this is Ava. Your sister.”

Silence hung thick in the air as Connor stared at her, taking in every little detail. Felicity sat next to Oliver, rubbing her hand up and down Ava’s back.

Then Connor moved a little closer to her, his eyes narrowing. “Do you think she looks like me?”

And just like that, the tension broke and Oliver felt both himself and Felicity relax.

“Well, she has your nose.” Felicity said, reaching out to run a finger down Ava’s nose, then Connor’s.

Connor took one of Ava’s little hands in his. “Hi Ava. I’m Connor, I’m your big brother.”

Oliver closed his eyes, squeezing them tight against the tears as Ava let out a little squeal. When he opened them, he saw his baby girl smiling at Connor, who was pulling a silly face at her.

Felicity rested her head against his shoulder and whispered. “I think they like each other.”

Oliver nodded, too stunned and relieved to speak. Instead, he turned his head towards her and kissed her forehead. And he knew that this was it. They would be okay.

This was his family.


	8. All I Need, Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Felicity wakes up & Oliver is gone, she walks to the window and sees him sitting on the beach looking peacefully at the sea.

Felicity stirred slowly, emerging from her slumber into a full body stretch. Aching in all the right places, and with a smile on her face, she reached out to her right. When her hand encountered nothing but a cold spot beside her, she opened her eyes.

“Oliver?”

She glanced around the bedroom of the private villa they’d rented. It was completely silent. Maybe he was in the bathroom. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she got out of bed and slipped on the closest thing to her. Oliver’s t-shirt was miles too big, coming to a stop just above her knees, and dangling off one shoulder.

“Oliver?” She padded barefoot through the villa, her frown deepening with each room she searched. Where was he?

By the time she reached the kitchen, she was getting nervous. He wouldn’t just disappear. So had something happened to him? They’d only been here for three days, but with their lives, anything was possible.

She drew in a deep, calming breath and leaned against the kitchen sink, staring out of the window. It was still dark out, but there was a hint of a glow on the horizon, signalling that sunrise was rapidly approaching. Squinting against the reflection of herself in the glass, she leaned a little closer. There was a shape on the beach just past the edge of their villa, a human shape.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Felicity quickly made her way outside, her feet sinking into the soft sand as she hit the beach. She paused as she got closer, wondering what he was doing out here so early. He was so still, so calm.

She wasn’t surprised to see him shirtless and only wearing shorts, even though there was a slight chill coming in off the ocean. He always ran a little hotter than most people did. And not just in the good way, she thought with a smile. He scooped up a handful of sand and let it drift through his fingers, onto his outstretched legs. Then he brushed it off and did it again.

As she moved closer, she saw his shoulders stiffen slightly, and she knew that he’d become aware of her presence. That instinct would always be something that he could never switch off, she supposed.

Kneeling down behind him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and pressed her cheek against his. One of his hands clasped hers, holding it against his heart as he rubbed her arm with the other. Neither of them spoke, because Felicity knew that sometimes, words simply weren’t needed.

Instead, she rested her chin on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. He seemed relaxed enough, his face showing no signs of the brooding vigilante she knew so well. Her fingers moved beneath his, stroking his smooth skin. When she encountered his most recent scar, delivered by the sword of Ra’s Al Ghul, she placed her palm over it, as if sheer will alone could erase it.

Moving in unison, Oliver leaned back into her embrace as she placed her legs on either side of him. He turned his head so that he could kiss her cheek, his hands lazily brushing up and down her thighs. Felicity tried to suppress the shiver that his fingers induced, but knew she’d failed when he laughed. It was a beautiful sound. One that she hoped, and planned to hear a lot more of in the future.

She took advantage of having both hands free as she lightly scraped her nails over his torso, down to his stomach, and back up again. She grinned at the resulting moan that escaped him. _Two can play that game_ , she thought.

“Felicity…” He breathed, his voice so quiet that she had to strain to hear it over the sound of the waves.

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“This. Being here with me. I’ve wanted this for so long. Just us.”

Crossing her arms over his chest, she hugged him tightly. “Where else would I be?”

Capturing one of her hands, he laced his fingers through hers, his eyes studying every inch of it. “I want to know everything about you.”

“You know most of it already.” She chuckled.

He tilted his head so that their eyes met. “And it’s still not enough. I want you to know me, too. All of me.”

Felicity’s heart stuttered at the look in his eyes. The happiness radiated off him in waves, and it warmed her heart to see it. After so much pain, so much torture and anguish, he was finally happy.

He sat up and turned around to face her, his hands digging into the sand next to her hips. Slowly, he pressed his lips to hers, pushing her gently so that she was now lying down.

Leaning over her on one elbow, Oliver deepened the kiss and let his other hand drift up her side, beneath his shirt. The warmth from his palm seeped into her skin as he wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her into him so that there was no space between their bodies.

Eventually, he pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers, breathing almost as fast as she was. Cradling his face, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “I _love_ seeing you this way. Happy.”

“You do that to me, Felicity. You always have. I am happy, but more than that…I’m excited.”

“Excited?”

He nodded, smiling as he kissed her once more. It was as if he couldn’t get enough now that he knew he could do it freely, whenever he wanted.

“Yeah, because I get to take the next step with you. For the first time in so long, I can look towards my future without fear. Everything that happened in my life, all the bad stuff. It all just fades away when I’m with you. I won’t ever forget the people I’ve lost, but when I’m around you, it’s easier to deal with. It’s easier to…breathe.”

Tears filled her eyes at the raw emotion in his expression. This was _her_ Oliver. Laid bare, with nothing to hide. And yet, throughout all the suffering they’d endured, she’d seen this in him from the first time she’d met him. This was the man she’d fallen in love with.

“Hey,” he said softly, tipping her chin up to meet his gaze. “Don’t cry, please.”

“I’m not crying, Oliver. I’m just…this is all I ever wanted for you. To just be… _you_ , and be at peace.”

He cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing circles against her skin, as he lowered his head to kiss her again.

“Wow, you’re really good at that.” She said when he raised up. “I mean, I already knew that but…yeah, you’re good.”

He chuckled as he sat back on his knees, pulling her up with him. “Good to know.”

The sun was rising now, casting a serene orange glow over the water. Oliver took it all in, his eyes scanning the horizon. Felicity didn’t need to look at it; she could see it reflected in his eyes. It was breath taking.

Pressing herself into his side, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hey, Oliver?”

“Yeah?”

When he didn’t look at her, she gently grabbed his chin and tugged until his eyes landed on hers. “Happy birthday.”

He tilted his head in that special way he always did when looking at her, and smiled. “It’s been so long since I’ve had one that I actually wanted to celebrate.”

“Well then, I’m going to make today extra special. What would you like to do?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Really? You can’t think of anything that you really want to do?”

His eyes darkened as he stared down at her. “I can think of one thing.”

She let out a surprised chuckled. “Well, apart from that. There must be something.”

“Nope, just you. That’s all I need.”

She raised a hand and traced her fingers over his forehead, down his temple, to caress his cheek. “Then that’s exactly what you’ll get.”

He turned his head and pressed his lips to her palm. “I love you so much, Felicity.”

Her heart swelled with so much emotion that she was afraid it might actually burst. This glorious man, the love of her life, was all she would ever need.

“I love you too, Oliver. I always will.” 

 

 


	9. You're My Rock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So does Dyla talking about Olicity in NP count as Olicity? I'd love to read about THAT convo.

There were few things in life as precious as the sight that lay before him. Diggle stood over his daughter’s crib, watching as she slept peacefully. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her steady breathing, letting it calm him.

A hand pressed into his back, rubbing gently, and he turned to see his wife standing there with sleepy, but concerned eyes. “You’re back.”

Without saying a word, he drew her into his embrace, taking a moment to absorb her presence before speaking. “I just got in. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She drew back to look at him. “What happened?”

He let out a quiet sigh and grabbed her hand, leading her back into the living room.

“Is Thea okay?” Lyla asked as she sat down next to him on the sofa.

“Yeah, I think so. She’s not going to have it easy for the next few days, but…she’s alive.”

“That’s good. What about Oliver?”

At the mention of his friend’s name, Diggle shook his head. “We had to leave him there. We didn’t have a choice.”

“Oh, Johnny.” She brushed her palm over his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

He knew that she understood, leaving a partner in battle was never easy. Knowing you had no choice but to walk away and leave them there was the hardest thing. One of the many reasons that he loved this woman was because she understood him on a level that nobody else ever could.

“I’m worried about Felicity.” He said, raking a hand over his face.

“Why? Did something happen?”

He huffed out a dry chuckle. “You could say that. We tried to break Oliver out, it didn’t work. Felicity called us to their bedroom and when I got there, he was out cold on the floor.”

Lyla’s eyebrows rose. “They slept together?”

Diggle frowned, but he could feel his mouth tilting up at the corners. “That’s what you took from what I said?”

Lyla shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a romantic. So did they?”

“Not that I really want to think about it, but yes.”

“Finally.” She chuckled. “Wait, he was out cold? What exactly did she do to him?”

Diggle cringed at the not so hidden meaning of his wife’s words. “Do  _not_  go there. She slipped something into his drink so we could sneak him out.”

“She drugged him?” She was almost laughing now, but Diggle couldn’t find it in him to share her humour. “I gotta say, that’s something Felicity would definitely do.”

“She couldn’t leave him there. None of us wanted to, but Felicity…I’ve never seen her like that before.”

“Like what?” Lyla asked, her voice softer now as the laughter faded away.

“Like a woman who would do  _anything_  to protect the man she loves.” He closed his eyes against the raw pain he could still see in Felicity’s face. “They’ve danced around each other for so long. Both denying themselves what they really wanted…what they needed. It was so frustrating at times. I think last night they finally allowed those walls to crumble. But now…”

“All she’s left with is what ifs.” Lyla nodded, understanding. “How did she think she could sneak him out of a place filled with assassins though?”

He leaned back against the sofa, dragging her with him, one hand clasping hers tightly. “She wasn’t thinking. She was just acting on impulse. I think she knew it wasn’t going to work, but she had to try anyway.”

“Of course she did; I would expect nothing less.” When he glanced down at her in question, she carried on. “When you love someone with your whole heart, there’s  _nothing_  you won’t do to save them. If it were you, I’d do the exact same thing.”

“Who are you kidding?” He smiled. “You’d call in an air strike.”

“In a heartbeat.” She replied, leaning closer to drop a quick kiss on his lips. When she pulled back, she leaned her chin against his shoulder and sighed. “We should invite her and Thea over for dinner. Make sure they’re really okay.”

“I don’t think Felicity’s ever going to be okay.”

“No, probably not. Those two belong together. But she’s not alone, she has us. We’ll take care of her.”

He stared at his wife, the love shining through her eyes, not just for him, but for the people he considered his family too. And he loved her so much for it. “You’re an amazing woman, Lyla.”

“That’s what I keep telling you.” Her smile turned to a frown as she gazed up at him. “How are you doing with all of this?”

His eyes flicked up to the ceiling in an effort to control his emotions. But he knew he could never hide anything from Lyla. “I don’t know. He’s my best friend. My brother. And I had to walk away, leaving him to a fate that I can’t even comprehend. I have no idea what Ra’s is going to do to him.”

“Johnny, look at me.” She said softly, both hands now framing his face. “Oliver will be okay. He’s been through a lot in his life. This is something he has to do right now, but he will come back.”

“How can you possibly know that?”

She shrugged. “Oliver has never gone into something blind. He always has a plan.”

He shook his head, the desperate need to believe her overwhelming him. But that hope was dangerous. “Not this time.”

“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, because it won’t. But I have faith that he’ll get through it, and you should too. He’ll do whatever it takes to get back to you, Thea and Felicity. You’re his family.”

He narrowed his eyes, taking in every single detail of his wife’s face. “I love you so much, Lyla. I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”

Her thumbs stroked his cheeks as he leaned in for another kiss. “Well, it’s a good thing you’ll never have to find out huh?”


	10. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt - they have to go undercover in Max Fuller's club and oliver finds out that max and felicity know each other - jealous oliver is the best!from season 1

“Okay, are you clear on the plan?” Oliver asked as he guided Felicity past the doorman and into the club. The music pounded a steady beat through his veins, the busy crowd heightening his already alert senses.

He linked her hand through his arm and held onto it. She nodded back at him with a smile so confident that he had no choice but to return it.

“Find McDermot, clone his phone, and get out. I’m clear.”

It was a solid plan, one that didn’t really present much of a danger to her, but Oliver still hadn’t been able to allow her to do it alone. She was still fairly new to all of this, and it was only her second time being out in the field. Her enthusiasm to help only made him more determined to make sure that nothing would happen to her.

As she scanned the crowd, looking for their target, Oliver found himself watching her. Her long, blonde hair was wavy tonight, falling gently over her slender shoulders and cascading down her back. A back that had an awful lot of skin exposed thanks to her dress. The red material dipped low, revealing skin that he instinctively knew would be silky soft. With a frown, he tore his gaze away and checked his surroundings.

The back of her hand thumped into his chest as she pointed towards the dancefloor. “There he is.”

Oliver nodded. “Okay, I’m going to wait by the bar. You know what you need to do.”

Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me?”

“I don’t dance, Felicity.”

“Have you ever actually tried?”

He knew what she was doing, for some reason whenever she was around him; she always tried to bring out his lighter side. It was a shame he no longer had one.

“Just…be careful, please.”

But she also knew when not to push things, and he was grateful for that.

“Don’t worry, I won’t get too close.”

Just as she started to move away, he clamped a hand around her arm, drawing her back to face him. “I’ll be right by the bar, if anything goes wrong, I’m right here.”

“Oliver, I’ll be fine.”

He let her go, watching her closely before making his way over to order himself a drink. Leaning back against the counter, his eyes sought her out, finding her instantly as she sashayed onto the dancefloor. She moved so effortlessly, closer to their target, and Oliver couldn’t look away even if he’d wanted to. Her hips swayed in time to the music, and for a brief moment, he regretted declining her offer of joining her.

Standing a little straighter, Oliver narrowed his eyes as he saw Felicity stumble, right into McDermot’s arms. The older man was surprised at first, but as soon as he saw her, an all too creepy smile appeared.

Her mouth was moving, no doubt offering her apologies as she removed herself from his grasp and pointed towards the bar. Slowly, he released the breath he’d been holding as she made her way back to him.

Just before she reached him, a body blocked her path, and Oliver groaned when he saw who it was. Max Fuller. What did he want, and why was he suddenly leaning down to hug Felicity? Shifting slightly to his left, Oliver could see her grinning up at him, and as Max’s hand landed on her hip, an uncomfortable feeling washed over him. They obviously knew each other, but how?

Rubbing a hand down his face, Oliver tried to reign in his irritation. But when Max’s head swooped down to capture Felicity’s lips, he couldn’t stop himself from moving forward.

She saw him coming before he reached her, but she made no effort to move away from Max. “Oliver! Do you know Max? He owns this club. Max, this is Oliver Queen.”

Max turned to fix him with angry eyes. “Yeah, I know Queen. I heard you were back. You always did know how to land on your feet.”

Felicity frowned at his comment. “Um, okay, I guess you two go way back.”

“You could say that.” Oliver replied, standing so close that he could feel the heat from her body. Something that Max didn’t miss. The anger faded from his face as he looked down at Felicity.

“It’s great to see you again, Felicity. It’s been a while.”

“It has. But I’ve been busy with work and… other stuff. I’m glad to see business is still booming for you though.”

Max’s gaze flickered up to Oliver’s, and then with a smirk, he trailed a lazy hand down Felicity’s arm. “Well, it wouldn’t be if it weren’t for you. I never did give you a  _proper_ thank you.”

“Dinner was more than enough, Max.” 

As Felicity’s cheeks flushed, Oliver felt a wave of anger go through him. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much that she knew Max, maybe it was simply because he didn’t like the man. Or maybe it was because he currently had his hands all over her, and she didn’t seem to mind. “Okay, Felicity, it’s time to go, don’t you think?”

Max grinned. “Oh surely you can stay for one drink. On me?”

She glanced up at Oliver, waiting for an answer but he shook his head. “We have to go.”

“ _You_  have to go.” Max said, his expression turning to ice. “Felicity can stay. I’m sure she doesn’t need the likes of you to look out for her.”

“From what I can see, she does.” He glanced down at Max’s hands, where they were still grasping her hips firmly. His hands clenched into fists, and he drew in a deep breath to stop himself from physically moving him away from her.

Felicity’s gaze flicked nervously between them and he could see the questions building in her mind. In an effort to diffuse the situation, she placed a hand on Max’s chest and smiled. “Thanks for the offer, Max, but I do have to go. Raincheck?”

Max sighed and shook his head. “I guess so. It really was great to see you again, Felicity. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

“I won’t.” She chuckled, and as Max leaned down to give her another kiss, Oliver pressed his fists into his thighs.

It wasn’t until they were outside, walking down the alley next to the club, that Felicity turned on him. “What was that all about?”

“What?”

“You know what, Oliver! You were practically turning into a caveman in there; I’m surprised you didn’t just drag me out by my hair.”

The anger he’d felt was still there, just under the surface, but he refused to analyse it. “Why didn’t you tell me that you know Max Fuller?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that I had to give you a list of all the men I know. And you’re one to talk, why didn’t  _you_  tell  _me_ that you knew him?”

“It wasn’t relevant.”

She stepped closer, a fire blazing in her eyes that he’d only seen once before. “And how is me knowing him relevant to what we were doing tonight?”

“You were there to do a job, not flirt with the owner of the club.”

Something flashed in her eyes, and he knew he’d gone too far. “I wasn’t flirting with him. He’s an old friend, that’s all.”

Oliver sighed and took a step back from her. “I just…what was I supposed to think? I didn’t know you knew him so when I saw his hands all over you, I thought the worst.”

He realised too late that she was studying him. “Oliver Queen, are you…jealous?”

“No.” He wasn’t, was he? He didn’t think so. But then, he wasn’t really familiar with the feeling. “I just didn’t like seeing you being pawed at.”

She tilted her head and stared at him with a soft expression, her anger evaporating. “Oliver, Max is an old friend. And when I say old, I mean that I haven’t seen him in a couple of years. I helped him out with his computer security system when he set this place up; he bought me dinner in return. We hung out for a while after that but we were only ever friends, nothing more.”

Oliver tucked his hands into his jeans pockets and nodded, not trusting himself to speak at that moment. He had over reacted tonight, badly. The question was…why? He wasn’t an idiot, he’d been aware from the first day he’d met her that she was attractive. But seeing another man’s hands on her tonight had woken something deep inside him. He was forced to admit that maybe his feelings for Felicity ran a little deeper than he knew.

“I’m sorry. I over reacted.”

She offered him a sweet smile, and tucked her arm into his as they began walking. “It’s okay. At least we got the tech planted on McDermot.”

She was giving him an out, he realised, and he was grateful for it. “Good job.”

“So… what now?”

Her question hung thick in the air between them. It took him a few seconds to realise that she was asking about the case they were working on. “Now we go back to the Foundry and see what we can get from him.”

He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but as they walked the rest of the way towards his car, Oliver knew that he was in trouble.

He had feelings for Felicity Smoak.


	11. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, So prompt. Sequel to 'The Start of Something New', because it was definition of a perfect, and I want to see Connor and Ava in the future (2 months, 12 years, 5 days,... it's not important)

Oliver stirred, blinking his eyes open as little sobbing sounds reached his ears. Shifting slightly, he listened harder. Ava was crying. Carefully, he withdrew himself from his sleeping wife’s grasp and walked down the hall to his three-year-old daughter’s bedroom. But when he got there, he was surprised to see that Connor had beaten him to it.

Pausing in the doorway, out of sight, he watched as his son perched himself on the edge of Ava’s bed.

“Ava? What’s wrong?”

The little girl sniffled, hugging her bear tightly to her chest. Oliver hated seeing her like this, her night terrors weren’t getting any better, and he wanted to go to her. But he also wanted to see how this played out. Connor had been living with them now for about a year, ever since the passing of his mother. He’d settled in well, and they’d soon become a family.

Though Connor’s troubles were far from over, he missed his mother terribly, and at the tender age of thirteen, Oliver knew it would’ve been easy for him to distance himself. But he didn’t. He’d adjusted and allowed his father the chance to be a real dad. Something that Oliver was extremely proud of him for. Ava adored him, and Connor doted on the little girl that followed him everywhere.

Ava shook her head, her messy, dark blonde curls tumbling around her face. “Bad monster.”

“Oh Ava, you know there are no monsters. We talked about this, remember?” Connor said, shifting a little closer to his sister.

Oliver felt his chest tighten as Ava shook her head again, hugging the bear tighter. She wasn’t calming down and it killed him to see her so frightened.

“Can you tell me what your dream was about?” Connor asked.

She let out another little sob that tore at Oliver, but then she drew in a deep breath. “A bad man was chasing me. He was scary, like a monster. I runned away Connor, I did. But…”

Oliver’s fist clenched against the fear that he also shared with his daughter. The day she’d been born, he had vowed that no one would ever hurt her. No one would ever get close to his family; he would protect them with his life.

“Ava, remember when I came to live with you?”

Her beautiful blue eyes latched onto her brother as she nodded.

“I was very scared too. It was hard, moving to a different city, going to a different school. It was scary, and I had bad dreams too.”

“You did?” Oliver smiled at her expression, so full of shock and wonder.

“Uh-huh. But you know what? When I woke up, it was okay, because I knew that it was only a bad dream. And bad dreams can’t hurt us, okay?”

A smooth hand pressed against Oliver’s back, and he turned to see his wife standing there, with a sleepy but questioning look. He immediately put a finger to his lips and nodded towards the door. She glanced in, frowned, and then smiled. Tucking herself into his side, she watched in fascination as Connor comforted Ava.

“He can’t hurt me?” Ava asked, her little voice trembling still.

Connor tilted his head and gave her a sad smile, before patting his leg. Almost instantly, Ava jumped up and settled herself in his lap. Felicity’s hand covered her mouth as their daughter tucked her face into the crook of her brother’s neck.

Oliver watched as she slowly started to calm down, her breathing evening out as Connor rubbed her back gently.

“No, Ava, I promise he can’t hurt you. You know why? Because he isn’t real.”

“He was so scary, Connor.”

“I know, but he wasn’t real. And you know something else?” Connor waited until she looked up at him. “You have me to protect you, okay? I will never let anything bad happen to you. Ever.”

“Promise?”

Connor chuckled and linked their two pinky fingers together. “I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Feel better?”

She placed her head back against his shoulder and let out a huge sigh. “Yeah. Daddy will protect us, too. He’s strong.”

The surge of protectiveness that swept through Oliver was overpowering, and as he stared at his children, he knew there was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. He glanced down at Felicity, who was watching the entire scene with misty eyes. Her hand was still pressed against her mouth; almost as if she were afraid she’d make a noise and disturb their moment.

Connor’s hand rubbed gentle circles against Ava’s back, lulling her back to sleep. “Daddy protects all of us, Ava. Mommy too.”

As soon as Ava stuck her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes, Oliver knew the storm had passed, and he felt the calm seep into his chest. He watched as Connor gently placed her back into bed and then tucked the covers around her. He hesitated for a moment, then kissed her forehead before straightening up.

Oliver and Felicity both took a step back as he exited the room, and closed the door, leaving it open about an inch. When he turned and saw them, he jumped and pressed a hand to his chest.

“What are you doing? You scared me!” He hissed.

Felicity wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. He was a tall lad, almost as tall as Felicity now. “Thank you, Connor.”

“Oh, it was…nothing.” He replied, shyly, but he hugged her back just as tight.

“It wasn’t nothing.” Oliver said. “You calmed her down. That’s not an easy thing to do.”

Connor shrugged, clearly uneasy with all the praise. “She’s my baby sister; I don’t like seeing her so upset.”

Felicity cupped his cheeks and placed a kiss on his forehead. “You’re a good boy, Connor. Ava is very lucky to have you for a big brother.”

Connor glanced between Felicity and Oliver, and then smiled. But there was a sadness in his eyes. “I’m lucky too. I may not have my Mom, but I have my dad, and I have you, Felicity.”

“You always will.” She replied, her eyes once against misting up. “Now you, back to bed. It’s a school night.”

Connor chuckled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. When he looked up at Oliver, he seemed almost hesitant. “Goodnight, dad.”

Oliver’s heart clenched as he looked down at his son. The pride he felt in that moment was astounding. “Night, son.”

Before Connor could say anything else, Oliver wrapped him up in a hug, knowing that at thirteen, Connor might not appreciate it. But when he felt his arms band around his waist, he was pleasantly surprised.

Felicity moved back to his side as they watched him walked back to his own room, which was next door to Ava’s. They didn’t miss how he also left his door open slightly.

“You did good, Oliver.” Felicity murmured as they slipped back into bed, her head immediately going to her favourite spot- his chest. Oliver sighed deeply as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

“He’s special. I missed so much of his life.”

“That doesn’t matter now. He knows how much you love him, how much  _we_  love him. He’s got a good heart, like you.” She placed a hand on his cheek and turned his face towards her. “He’s so much like you that it’s almost unreal.”

Oliver swallowed thickly, so many emotions running through him. “I used to do that for Thea. When she was little, she used to have nightmares too. I used to calm her down because her room was closer to mine than our parents. I see so much of me and Thea in those two.”

Felicity smiled, kissing him softly. “Then I have no doubt that those two are going to turn out amazing. Connor’s already a fantastic young man. With a beautiful soul, just like his dad.”

Tears gathered in his eyes at her words. After all these years together, his wife still always knew exactly what to say. “Don’t downplay your own involvement, Felicity. You’re a big part of his life too. He loves you.”

“I never want to try and take his mom’s place. But I hope that he knows he’s my son just as much as he is yours.”

Oliver tucked a stray blonde curl behind her ear. “He knows.”

Felicity blinked rapidly, and he knew she was trying not to cry. He tucked her face into his neck and kissed her forehead. As she slowly drifted back to sleep, Oliver stayed awake, strong emotions still coursing through his body. The strongest of which, was love. He had his family, and that was all he would ever need.


	12. Tattoos and Tequila

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hi :) trying this for the first time, but I was looking at tattoos and thought... Hmm, why not? Why not a fic when they get tattoos?

The first thing Oliver became aware of when he opened his eyes, was the bright sunlight beaming in through the window of their hotel room. The second was the head splitting pain pulsing through his brain. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced over to his left, Felicity was lying on her stomach, one arm thrown over his chest and her face buried into her pillow.

He winced as he shifted, trying to ease himself out of bed without disturbing her. If he felt this bad, he knew she would be feeling a whole lot worse. His tolerance for alcohol was a lot higher than hers. Her fingers flexed against his abs as he tried to slide out from under them and he knew then that she was awake.

She turned her head towards him, cracked one eye open, and then slammed it shut again with a groan. “Oh my God. Please tell me I was hit over the head with a blunt object and have a concussion. Because that would be the only real explanation for this pain.”

Despite feeling groggy, Oliver chuckled. “No, I think the tequila might’ve been the problem.”

He sat up on the edge of the bed, getting his bearings before moving. “I’ll go get us some painkillers.”

She raised herself up on one elbow and propped her chin on her hand. “My hero.”

As he reached the doorway, he heard Felicity gasp. “Oh my God, Oliver!”

Alarmed, he quickly turned back to face her, his eyes widening as he realised that the sheet that had been covering her had slipped down. But for once, it wasn’t her glorious skin that had caught his attention.

“Uh…Felicity?”

“Oliver, you have a tattoo on your ass!”

“So do you!”

“What?” Her head snapped back to look and if it was possible, her eyes widened even more. “What the hell? When did we get tattoos? Scratch that, when did we get  _matching_  tattoos?”

“I’m guessing…last night.”

Felicity threw her head back into her pillow, and then moaned when it hurt. “Tequila should be illegal. No, getting tattoos when drinking tequila should be illegal. I mean why do they even do these things on drunk people, now we’re stuck with this and I’m pretty sure they’re permanent and-“

“Felicity, calm down.” Oliver said, climbing back onto the bed. “It’s not that bad.”

“What exactly do you remember?”

~~~~~~~

_Nine hours earlier…_

They’d left the club around midnight, with Felicity practically hanging off Oliver since she was having trouble standing upright. With his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, they set off for their hotel.

“Ooh, Oliver look.” She pointed to a bright neon sign in a shop window that said: _Tyler’s Tats._

“Really? Now?” He asked, the buzz from the alcohol pulsing through his veins.

“Why not? It’ll be fun.”

“Felicity-“ His voice came out as a low warning growl. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Stopping in front of him, she walked her fingers up his chest, and then tugged on his chin. “Come on, Oliver. For me?”

He let out a sigh, knowing that he couldn’t refuse when she looked at him like that. And if he was honest, the idea wasn’t totally unappealing. As he stared into those hazy blue eyes of hers, he already knew what he wanted to have done. Something for her. Something that would forever remind him of her.

“Okay, come on.”

Ten minutes later, Felicity stood, swaying slightly, next to his chair as the tattoo artist worked on him. “Oliver, it’s so beautiful.”

He reached out to clasp her hand, brushing his lips over her knuckles. “I love you, Felicity.”

“I love you, too.”

~~~~~~~~~

“What on earth did we do last night?”

He blew out a breath. “From what I remember, we went to a club. We drank a  _lot_ of tequila. I’m pretty sure dancing was involved somewhere too.”

“You don’t dance.” Her words came out muffled by her pillow.

“Well I definitely remember  _someone_  grinding up against me last night.”

She raised her head just enough to glare at him. “It better have been me.”

Despite the fact that his head felt like it was about to roll off his shoulders, Oliver found himself chuckling again. “I’m pretty sure it was you.”

She scrubbed a hand over her face. “I can’t believe we were so… I mean, we acted like teenagers.”

Oliver replied by sliding down the bed and gently placing his lips directly over her tattoo. He felt the goosebumps break out on her skin and grinned as he smoothed a hand over her butt cheek. “I think it’s pretty.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why aren’t you freaking out about this?”

He shrugged. “It’s not my first tattoo, Felicity.”

She rolled her eyes and turned onto her side to face him. “Oliver, you have a potted plant tattooed on your butt and you’re okay with that?”

“Yeah. Because you have one too. And it’s something that’s…”

“That’s what?” She asked softly as he trailed off.

He ran a finger over her tattoo, relishing in her shiver. “It’s something that’s just about us. No one else will ever know or understand.”

Her lips tipped up into a smile, and Oliver felt the pull instantly. He leaned forward, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss that left both of them breathless.

When she pulled back, she sighed. “Couldn’t have gotten something simple, like our names, or whatever. Oh no, we had to go and get a  _fern_  tattooed onto ourselves.”

“I like it. Besides, they’re not that big and no one is ever going to see them.”

Felicity’s eyes glinted with mischief. “I don’t know, what if my next boyfriend asks about it?”

“Ha ha. Not funny.”

“I’m kidding!” She sat up slowly, and ran a hand over his chest, and down his abs. It was her favourite thing to do, and Oliver didn’t mind in the slightest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her flush up against him as he kissed her.

When she pulled away, she leaned her forehead against his, sighing in contentment at the feeling of his hands stroking her bare back. “Well, I guess you’re stuck with me now.”

He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


	13. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Post trip: Oliver and Felicity are unpacking when Oliver discovers items that Ray had left in her apartment.

“So you’re really sure about all this?” Felicity asked, standing just inside the doorway of her bedroom.

Oliver placed their suitcases down on the bed and frowned at her. “Sure about what?”

“Us. Living together now that we’re back.”

He chuckled lightly. “Felicity, we’ve practically been in each other’s pockets for the past five months, and now you’re asking me if I’m sure?”

She sidled up to him, her hips swaying in that mesmerising way that always got to him. “It’s not the same, Oliver. Being back in Starling… it’s different now. It’s not just  _us_  anymore.”

He lifted a hand to caress her cheek, his thumb smoothing out the frown line on her forehead. He knew what this was really about, and it saddened him that she could even think it, after everything they’d done recently. “Nothing’s going to change, Felicity. I’m not going anywhere. Coming home doesn’t change how much I love you. I’m done pushing you away. Whatever happens in our future, we’ll always get through it, together.”

A small, satisfied sigh escaped her as she pressed his hand closer to her face, leaning into his touch. “Together.”

“But if you want to take this a little slower, I would understand. I’m sure Thea wouldn’t mind if-“

“Don’t even finish that sentence. You’re staying here.”

He laughed. “Good, I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve gotten so used to sleeping next to you, waking with you in my arms, that it would just feel… wrong without you there.”

Raising herself up on to her tiptoes, Felicity pressed a light kiss to his lips. “I’ve gotten used to sleeping with you too. And yes, I mean  _both_  ways.”

She threw him a wink as she turned away, grabbing her smaller bag before heading into the bathroom. Her innuendos still popped out every now and then, only now she didn’t hide from them. There was no embarrassment, no blushing. She knew exactly what she was doing and what effect it had on him. He didn’t mind at all.

With a shake of his head, and a smile that wouldn’t quit, Oliver began the task of unpacking. It wasn’t his favourite thing to do- and they’d done it a lot over the past five months- but it was unavoidable.

Crossing over to her closet with an armful of his clothes, Oliver opened the door and paused. There, hanging directly in front of him was a navy blue suit. He snapped his eyes shut, willing the image of Ray in her apartment, her in _bedroom_ , out of his head. But it wouldn’t budge.

He knew he had no right to feel jealous, no real reason either, since she was now with him. But he couldn’t get the images out of his head. All the times he’d seen them together, how she clung to his arm and tilted her head.  _Stop it_. This was ridiculous. He had no right to feel that way. If it hadn’t been for him and his constant pulling away from her, they’d have been together over a year ago.

No, he had to let this irrational jealousy go. Because it  _was_  irrational. But that suit hanging there, taunted him. Images of them together in this very bed flashed through his mind, and he clenched his fists tight as he tried to banish them.

Felicity chose that particular moment to walk out of the bathroom. “Oliver have you seen my… hey, what’s wrong?”

In a second, she was by his side, taking one of his hands in hers. “Talk to me.”

“It’s nothing.” He looked down at her, at the concern so evident in her gaze. “It’s just…”

His eyes fell on her closet, hers following a moment after, and then he saw the realisation dawn on her face. To his surprise, she chuckled.

“Oliver, you’re not jealous are you?”

He forced himself to snap out of it and act nonchalant. “Of course not. You and Ray were together, that’s none of my business, and I can’t exactly hold it against you. I pushed you away.”

They’d made a pact a while ago, to always be honest with each other. No matter how much it might hurt either of them. There was already so much bad stuff in their past, so much pain, that honesty was their only real way of surviving as a couple. He’d promised himself that he would always tell her the truth.

“I know it isn’t right, or fair, I hurt you by pushing you away. I hurt you by telling you that I loved you but couldn’t be with you. I know all that, and I never expected you to just wait around for me. I wanted you to be happy with him. But, for some reason, I just can’t stand the thought of you two  _together_.”

She sighed and sat down on the bed, tugging him down with her. “Oliver, you have to understand something. I was  _with_  Ray, and yes, we did sleep together.”

He flinched at her words, but her hand tightened its hold on his, asking him to wait before reacting. “Three times. That was it. He didn’t exactly…rock my world.”

She pressed her lips together; suppressing what he thought was a smile and not embarrassment. “Not that you needed to know that. The point is, I could never quite bring myself to bring him here. I always stayed at his place and most of the time we just stayed up talking about the company or some tech related issue.”

He shook his head. “Felicity, you don’t owe me any explanation. You really don’t. You were in a relationship with him. My feelings don’t matter because I was the reason that we weren’t together, as you reminded me.”

“Your feelings matter to me, Oliver. They always have. Why do you think it hurt so much? It wasn’t only because you were denying me the chance to be with the man I love, but you were denying yourself the chance of being loved. Completely and whole-heartedly loved.”

His chest ached with the weight of her words, his heart swelling with so much emotion that he found it difficult to breathe. She placed her hands on his cheeks, her thumbs smoothing over his closed eyelids. That was  _her_  thing, he’d come to realise two weeks into their relationship, she always touched his eyes. When he opened them, the depth of her love stunned him, shining so brightly in her gaze.

“His suit is in my closet because he came over to talk about work and I spilt my coffee over him. I offered to get it cleaned and I never returned it before we broke up. That’s all.”

Though he hated to admit it, he felt relieved. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why it bothered me. When I saw it hanging there, I guess it just reminded me of… how close I came to losing you.”

She scoffed and patted his cheeks. “That was never going to happen, Oliver. I never loved him. How could I? I was  _always_  in love with you.”

She leaned in, pressing her lips to his as his arms came up to wrap around her back. He pulled her so close that there wasn’t an inch of space between them. His hand tangled in her hair as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss.

Gently, he laid her down on the bed, his mouth moving from hers to pepper tiny kisses down her chin and throat. He felt her swallow hard against his lips when he reached that spot just below her ear. He knew it drove her crazy, and he loved how her fingers clenched in his hair, pressing him closer to her in response.

Her other hand moved down, reaching under the hem of his shirt to caress a place he’d never known could be so sensitive before being with her. Just above his right hip, and around his lower back, her fingers gently skimmed with a feathery touch, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. The tingly sensation was as overwhelming as the first time she’d discovered it, and his only response was to graze the flesh where her neck met her shoulder with his teeth.

A tiny moan escaped her, ending on a sigh as she curled one leg around him, bringing them closer together. He closed his eyes as an uncomfortable feeling of being watched swept over him. He pulled back and stared down at her, at the hazy confusion in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…” He trailed off, feeling stupid.

She brushed a thumb over his right eyebrow. “Tell me.”

“I just… I feel like I’m being watched.”

A burst of laughter escaped before she pressed her lips together, cutting it off. “Stay here.”

She got up and walked over to her closet, grabbing Ray’s suit before disappearing into the living room. When she returned empty-handed, she came to a stop in front of him, standing between his legs.

“Better?”

His hands came up to grasp her waist, bringing her closer. “Sorry, I’m just being-”

“Hey,” she said softly, tilting his chin up to meet her gaze. “I told you, your feelings are important to me.”

How was it possible, that this incredible woman, with a heart so pure, loved him as much as she did? After every dark thing he’d done in his past, how was it possible that he’d found his very own angel? Because that’s what she was to him. He pulled her down so that she was straddling his lap, his hands disappearing into her shirt as his face nuzzled her chest.

“I love you so much, Felicity.”

She smiled, her eyes telling him more than words ever could. But it never hurt to hear them either.

“I love you too.”


	14. Marry Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hey! Could you do possessive Oliver and a possessive Felicity? Like they get jealous and feel the need to claim the other as their own?

  
“What the hell was that all about?” Felicity demanded, turning back to face Oliver with her hands on her hips.

Oliver winced as he closed their apartment door, one hand automatically going up to loosen the bow tie that had been irritating him all evening. She was mad, really mad. He’d only ever seen that expression once before and it was something he didn’t care to relive.

“Look, Felicity-“

She cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Don’t ‘look Felicity’ me. I want to know what you were thinking!”

He let out a sigh and dropped his head. “I wasn’t thinking. I just… I saw him touching you and I just… reacted.”

Their evening had been going great up until that point. The gala they’d been attending was set up so that he and Felicity could meet some potential investors for their company, Queen Incorporated. It had taken a long time, but he’d finally managed to get his family’s legacy back where it belonged. But this time, he was determined to do it right. With Felicity by his side as his vice president, Oliver knew that the company would continue to grow stronger. And he loved being able to work with her again.

Felicity levelled him with a glare. “You reacted. That’s your explanation? What exactly were you reacting to?”

She cocked a hip as she folded her arms, and Oliver couldn’t think of a response. He knew he should be trying to calm her down, but she was so sexy when she was fired up like this. In her emerald green dress that floated delicately around her knees, she was a stunning vision. The strappy silver sandals she wore elongated her legs, and all he could think of was touching the silky soft skin.

“Oliver!”

The fire in her eyes sparked something inside of him. Why was she so angry? “Felicity, that guy had his hands all over you.”

She snorted and shook her head in disbelief. “No, he didn’t.”

“Yes, he did! He was lingering, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what he wanted.”

“Who cares what he wanted? He was a potential investor, Oliver!”

“I care!” he yelled, his frustration growing at the image of the guy’s hand sliding up her bare arm as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. The look on her face had told him how uncomfortable she’d been. So why was she now making such a big deal about it? “I care because some guy had his hands all over my girlfriend, and suddenly I’m the bad guy.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “Seriously? You literally dragged me away from him, put yourself in between us, and then told him to take a hike. You might as well have just come over and peed all around me.”

She narrowed her eyes at his blank expression. “You don’t see anything wrong with that?”

 _Not at all_ , he thought, but he didn’t voice it.

“Oliver, Marc Andrews is one of the wealthiest men in Starling City. He has connections that could’ve benefitted our company for years to come, and you wrecked it! All because you were jealous!”

Now that made him angry. Jealousy seemed like such a petty emotion, and for her to downplay his need to protect her from all things… well it stung more than he’d care to admit. “I wasn’t jealous!”

Felicity scoffed, the sound irritating him further. Why couldn’t she see he was only looking out for her?

“Then what would you call it?”

“I was just trying to protect you.”

“From what?”

He scrubbed a hand over his stubble. “I saw your face, you were uncomfortable with how close he was to you. He was touching you!”

For a moment, her face softened. “Yes, I was uncomfortable, and if anything else had happened, I could’ve handled it. As much as I love you, I didn’t need your protection in there, I needed your support.”

Oliver blinked, her words sinking in slowly. She was right, they were supposed to be partners, and instead of supporting her, he’d acted like some sort of caveman. But he couldn’t help it. The emotions that had swept through him earlier were intense, and all he could think of was protecting what was his.

“Marry me.” He blurted, his eyes widening a second later when Felicity’s jaw dropped.  _Where did that come from_? He definitely hadn’t planned to say that, and now it was out there.

Felicity, for the most part, was doing a fine impression of a goldfish. Mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find any words.

He couldn’t take it back, didn’t know if he wanted to. They’d been together for a while now, and he knew without a doubt that there was no one else for him. But her silence was unnerving. “Felicity… I-“

“Are you kidding me?” she yelled. He hadn’t exactly been sure what her reaction would be, but anger was unexpected.

She turned on her heel and stomped off towards their bedroom. “I can’t even look at you right now.”

“Felicity, wait!”

She paused at the door and looked over her shoulder. “Enjoy your night on the couch, Oliver.”

And with that, she slammed the door, leaving him standing there confused. Playing his words back in his head, Oliver grimaced. Yeah, he really could’ve handled that better.

* * *

 

“So have you forgiven me yet?” Oliver asked the following evening as they returned home.

Felicity slipped her shoes off, her height dropping five inches, as she stared up at him. “Maybe.”

Feeling a little smug, Oliver tucked his hands into his pockets. “So uh… do you want to tell me what happened tonight?”

She glared at him. “No.”

She avoided his gaze as he chuckled, choosing instead, to focus on getting out of her dress. For a moment, he got distracted as she slid the zipper down, revealing her luscious skin inch by inch. Skin that he so badly wanted to kiss right now. He licked his lips and shook his head. “Are you sure? Because I think that we should talk about it.”

“I don’t.”

“Felicity.”

She huffed out a sigh and turned to face him, her dress hanging around her middle. “Fine, you want to talk? Then let’s talk.”

Inwardly, he groaned. Oh she knew what she was doing, trying to distract him with her body as she shucked the dress off, leaving her standing there in nothing but a bright, pink bra and panties. The same colour as her dress.

“Were you jealous?” he asked, enjoying this maybe a little too much. But after spending an uncomfortable night on the couch, and then arriving at Thea’s twenty-third birthday party alone, he enjoyed the satisfaction. The subject of his ill-timed proposal had never come up, but he knew that it was hanging over them like a dark cloud. They still needed to talk about that.

“No! I was… I just didn’t like how she was hanging herself off of you. It was tacky, and she knows that you have a girlfriend.”

“Felicity, she’s Thea’s friend, she was just being friendly.”

Felicity scoffed. “Well if that’s what she’s like when she’s friendly, you’re definitely not going to be in the same room as her when she’s feeling amorous.”

He pursed his lips to keep from laughing, but her disgruntled expression was so adorable. There was a faint pink hue in her cheeks too. She was really worked up over this. He knew the feeling all too well. “Well I’m pretty sure she got the message after you ‘accidentally’ spilled your drink on her.”

Her eyes narrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. “That  _was_  an accident. I tripped. You know how clumsy I can be, especially wearing five inch heels.”

“Uh-huh.” He hadn’t been aware that he was moving until he was standing right in front of her. His hands skimmed the bare skin of her hips, nudging her hands away as he pulled her in closer. “You understand what this all means, right?”

Her beautiful face scrunched up in embarrassment as she looked up at him. “Marry me?”

He couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that emerged at his own words thrown back at him. But still, he felt a thrill at hearing them from her. “Touché, Felicity. I’m sorry about that. I know that it wasn’t the best timing-“

“That’s an understatement.” She chuckled, linking her hands together around his neck. “Of all the times to say something like that, in the middle of an argument is not one of them.”

“I know, believe me. I hadn’t planned on it.”

Sighing softly, Felicity dropped her forehead to his chest. “Fine, I’ll admit that I was jealous. But only if you admit it too.”

“I admit that you were jealous, yes.”

She smacked his chest lightly. “Oliver, admit it.”

“Okay, okay. I might’ve been a little jealous last night.”

She raised her head. “A little?”

“Fine, I was jealous, okay?” He said with gritted teeth.

She shook her head, smiling as her fingers absently traced patterns across his chest. “I guess we just don’t like other people touching what’s ours, huh?”

Moving closer, he cupped her face in his hands, his expression now serious. “I  _am_  yours, Felicity. And I’d like to think that you are mine, too.”

She arched a perfectly shaped brow. “You think? Oliver, I’ve been yours from the moment I met you. You just didn’t know it.”

His eyes closed briefly, her words a soothing balm to his soul, before he lowered his head and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. “Well I know it now.”

As she raised a hand to caress his cheek, Oliver felt happiness and love surge through him. His proposal last night was the result of an intense argument; of the fear that maybe she might walk away from him.

Now, as he stared down at the love of his life, he knew it was right. Reaching into his back pocket, he lowered himself down to one knee in front of her. She gasped, one hand flying to cover her mouth.

“Oliver…”

“I know I did this all wrong and I really messed up last night. But I’ve been thinking all day, and I realised that I meant what I’d said. I love you, Felicity Smoak, with everything that I am. So I have to know…” He opened the dark blue, velvet box. “Will you marry me?”

“Oh my God.” Tears began to flow freely down her cheeks as she looked at the exquisite diamond ring. “Oliver…”

He gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. He hadn’t been lying when he said he’d been thinking about it all day. He’d thought of nothing else, actually. Once it was in his head, it wouldn’t budge. Nothing had ever felt so right before.

Felicity drew in a deep, shuddering breath, and for the first time, he was starting to feel nervous. Sure, they’d been together for two years now. But what if she said no?

He cleared his throat, snapping her attention away from the ring. “I wanted to give you a minute to process this but…I kinda need you to say  _something_ , Felicity.”

A half-sob, half-chuckle escaped her as she started nodding her head vigorously. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

“Really?” Even though he’d hoped for that answer, it still shocked him just a little.

“Did you really think that I wouldn’t?”

He breathed in deeply, his hands shaking slightly as he placed the ring on the finger of her left hand. Surging to his feet, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, kissing her with a passion that rocked both of them.

“I love you, you big dope.” She said, smoothing her hands across his chest and upwards, sliding his jacket off his shoulders.

“I can’t promise to never get jealous again, but I can promise that I will spend the rest of my life loving you.”

She paused in her efforts to unbutton his shirt, and met his gaze. “Then that’s all I need.”


	15. Oh, Brother!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Connor/Ava universe where Ava has a date that gets interrupted/destroyed by Connor and Oliver is secretly so proud of him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of my Connor/Ava verse. Please read chapters 7 and 11 for previous installments. Thanks :D

“I don’t like this.” Oliver stated, pacing the living room floor for the hundredth time.

Felicity sat on the couch, glasses perched halfway down her nose as she smiled up at him. “I can see that. Though, I really like that rug so could you maybe just… sit down for a while?”

“How are you so calm right now?”

She shrugged and turned her attention back to the TV. “It’s just a date, Oliver. She’s not out marrying the guy.”

“She’s sixteen, Felicity!”

“I had my first date when I was fifteen.” She mumbled, grimacing when she realised that he’d heard her. “Look, they’re just going to watch a movie. That’s all. It’s perfectly innocent.”

“I used to take dates to watch movies, Felicity. I know what moves guys make in movie theatres.”

“Well,” she grinned. “Glenn seems like a nice guy. He’s not out peeing on cop cars or punching journalists, so we should be fine.”

Oliver opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when he spotted Ava’s car pulling into their driveway. In seconds, he was in the hallway, watching as his daughter slammed the door shut, and Connor’s cry of pain penetrated the wood. 

“Ava? What’s wrong?”

As Ava stormed past him, tears streaming down her face, Connor stepped into the hallway holding his nose.

“Thanks Ava, it’s not like I need my nose or anything!” he yelled after her.

“I hope it’s broken!” Ava spat, heading for the stairs.

“Connor? What happened?” Felicity asked, reaching his side. He shook his head when she moved to check his nose.

“I’m fine, Mom. Ava’s just a little mad at me.”

Felicity dropped her hands and glared up at him. “What did you do?”

“I’ll tell you what he did.” Ava whirled around from the foot of the stairs, coming to a stop next to her father. “He crashed my date!”

“Connor!”

“It’s not what it… I mean, I guess I did technically but-“

“But what?” Ava walked up to him. “You had no reason to be there, Con!”

“I was just looking out for you.”

“Oh spare me. You were spying on me. I want to know why!”

Connor rubbed his hands over his face. “I wasn’t spying on you; I was just making sure that he was treating you right.”

Oliver knew he should be angry, but he just couldn’t find it in him. Instead, he felt a burst of pride for his twenty-six year old son, protecting his sister. Because no matter how much it annoyed her, Ava was always going to be his little sister. Connor had always made sure that she knew that. From the time he used to sit in her room, late at night, and talk her through her night terrors, he had  _always_  looked out for her.

“Did Dad put you up to this?” She turned, her long blonde hair swirling around her shoulders, and pinned Oliver with a look that was so like her mother’s.

He held up his hands. “I had nothing to do with this, honey.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, assessing if he was telling the truth or not. Then she turned back to her brother, fresh tears appearing in her blazing eyes. “He was already nervous after meeting Dad, you knew that! Why would you do that to him? To me?”

Connor’s face fell as he took in his sister’s anguish. “I’m sorry, Ava.”

He reached out to touch her shoulder, but she batted his arm away. “No, you had no right. You’re my  _brother_. I expect this from Dad, but not you.”

Oliver wasn’t sure if that statement was a little too harsh or not. After all, when he’d met Glenn the day before, he hadn’t exactly been friendly. Still, it stung a little. Connor knew about his past as the Arrow, but Ava didn’t. They were all too aware of the dangers in this world, and after finding out who his father was, Connor had become even more protective of Ava.

Felicity moved forward, clearly sensing that now was the time to step in. “Where is Glenn, sweetie?”

Ava glanced at her mother before turning her glare back on her older brother. “He left! Because  _he_  freaked him out.”

“Oh, Ava. I’m sorry.” Felicity knew better than to try to hug her at that moment, and Oliver kept a safe distance too. When Ava was mad, it was best to stay clear until the storm passed. Felicity always said that she took after him in that way.

Connor ran a hand through his short, brown hair. “Ava, I really am sorry.”

“Sorry? For what, spying on me? Staring him down when we figured out you were there? Or for practically breathing down the back of his neck the entire time before he stormed out.”

“All of it. I don’t know why I did it, okay? Dad mentioned that you were going out on a date and I wanted to make sure that you were safe. I promise, you weren’t even supposed to know that I was there at all.”

Ava crossed her arms. “Well, you did a lousy job.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. But you’re so young and… there’s a lot that you don’t know-“

Ava held up a hand, cutting him off before wiping her face. “I don’t want to hear it. I really thought you were not only my brother, but my friend too. I guess I was wrong.”

She turned and headed for the stairs, disappearing without another word. Oliver watched as Connor’s shoulders dropped, his expression that of a kicked puppy.

He let out a sigh. “Come on, Mom.”

Felicity blinked. “What?”

“I know you’ve got a lot to say. Let’s hear it so that I can go home.”

“Connor,” She placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down so that she could kiss his cheek. “I think I’m going to let your father handle this one.”

Oliver inwardly cursed. He knew what that meant. She trusted that he would take care of this without high-fiving him. Throwing him a pointed look, she returned to the living room, leaving the two men standing in the hallway.

Neither spoke for a few moments, until Connor couldn’t take it anymore. “So? Am I grounded?”

Oliver chuckled. “Maybe, if you still lived here.”

Connor’s smile fell. “She’s really mad, Dad.”

“Well, what did you really expect to happen?”

Connor scratched at the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I meant what I said; she was never supposed to know I was there. I sneaked in after they were already settled and I kept quiet.”

Oliver stepped towards him, keeping his arms crossed. Truthfully, he wasn’t mad at Connor, because he would’ve done the same thing if Felicity hadn’t been monitoring him all night. But he also knew that he couldn’t let Connor know that.

“Do you think she hates me?”

“No, I’m sure she doesn’t. That girl is just like her mother, not a mean bone in her entire body. She’s just upset right now, and rightly so. What you did… while I understand and even appreciate it, was wrong.”

Connor scoffed. “You’re telling me you wouldn’t have done it too if Mom hadn’t been here? Come on, Dad. I’m not stupid.”

“That’s not the point. Ava’s growing up, becoming a young woman, and she no longer needs our over protectiveness.” When Connor opened his mouth, Oliver held up a hand. “I know, I need to learn that lesson too. It’s hard. She’s still my baby girl, and we know how dangerous it really is out there.”

Oliver sighed. “But we have to let her find her own way in life, Connor. Otherwise, she’ll end up hating us for stifling her.”

Connor took a moment to digest that. “I guess you’re right. I just don’t ever want anything bad to happen to her. Physically or emotionally. I don’t want her to be hurt. She’s my baby sister.”

“You should’ve thought about that before you crashed my date.” Ava said icily, appearing on the stairs.

Oliver turned to see his daughter, now in her pyjamas, standing there with a red, tear stained face. Her expression made his heart ache.

Connor clapped him on the shoulder and walked around him to face his sister. “Look, Ava. You can be as angry as you want with me, I know I deserve it. And I will go home and not bother you for a while. But please… don’t hate me. I only ever want what’s best for you.”

Oliver watched in stunned silence as Ava’s expression slowly started to change. After a few long moments of staring down at her brother, her face softened, just slightly. “I don’t hate you, Con. I never could. But I am mad at you. You ruined my date, and I really liked him.”

Connor walked up a few steps to meet her halfway, and then they both sat down together. “I know, and I’ll make that right, I promise. I’ll apologise to him. But if he can’t see how special you are, enough to ignore me and even Dad, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

“He’s really sweet. He takes care of me at school. He walks me home; he even carries my books sometimes.”

Connor chuckled. “Sounds like a gentleman.” He nudged her shoulder. “I’m really sorry, sis. I promise I won’t ever crash another date again.”

Oliver smiled as Ava put an arm around Connor’s shoulders. There was ten years between them, it was probably why Connor was so protective of her, but their bond was forever. Once again, it struck him just how similar their relationship was to the one he had with his own sibling. She might be in her forties now, but Thea would always be his baby sister.

He heard a sniffling sound to his left, and turned to see his wife barely fighting back the tears as she watched their children sitting on the stairs. He shifted closer to her and grasped her hand tightly in his.

She moved in, resting her head on his chest. “Well done.”

He chuckled. “Be honest, you thought I was going to mess it up.”

He felt her shrug. “I wasn’t sure. But I knew you’d do the right thing in the end. You know why?”

Oliver looked down at the woman who had given him everything he’d ever wanted. “Why?”

“Because you’re a fantastic father. One who recognises when it’s time to let them go and be their own person.”

Shifting his gaze to Ava, who was now smiling at something Connor was saying, he sighed. “Yeah, but I never knew it would be so hard. One day she’ll be gone too, married and with a family of her own.”

Felicity reached up and turned his face towards her, her hand lingering on his cheek. “You’ll still have me. I’ll be old and grey, but still here.”

He could practically feel his face light up. “I’m holding you to that, Mrs Queen.”

As he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, preparing to go back into the living room, Ava’s voice stopped him. 

“Daddy?” His heart leapt at the word, she hadn’t called him that in years. It was always ‘Dad’ now. 

“Yeah, honey?” 

She walked down the stairs and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’ll always have me too, you know. I love you.”

He should’ve known she’d heard their conversation, her hearing had always been excellent. But it was her heart that he was most proud of. She was turning out to be such an amazing young woman. Just like her mother. 

He kissed her gently on the cheek as he hugged her back. “I love you too.”


	16. Along Comes Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hi - I've been reading a lot of fanfiction, but no one seems to writing about the Olicity triplets that Jen mentions all of the time :) So, my prompt is for you to write when they find out that they aren't having just 1 baby or even twins, but triplets!

“You okay there, Felicity?” Thea asked, chuckling as she popped a french fry into her mouth. It was the night of their weekly Big Belly Burger dinner, a new tradition that Thea had insisted upon. Of course, they still had their night-time duties, but this was about the three of them spending time together as a family and nothing else. No crime, no drama, just them.

Sitting across the booth from her, Felicity grimaced, holding her stomach. “I think the burger was a bad idea. It’s not sitting well.”

A second later, she felt the warmth from Oliver’s palm against her back as he rubbed in soothing circles. “Anything I can do?”

She shook her head and reached around to lower the zipper in the back of her skirt. As soon as it was down, she let out a whoosh of air. “That’s better. Twelve weeks in and I’m already running out of clothes.”

Thea smiled as she reached for another fry. “You’re growing my niece or nephew in there. If he or she has Ollie’s head, they’re going to need all the room they can get.”

Oliver glared at his sister, but the effect was lessened by the slight smile Felicity could see there. He was like this all the time now. Ever since he’d found out she was pregnant, the smile had never left his face. He was so attentive too. Seeing to her every need, but without making it seem like he was hovering. She loved him even more for that.

He walked around in a constant state of happiness, something that she loved to see after so many years of darkness. Although she was slightly worried that that smile might even be there when he was out in the field. That didn’t make for a very scary vigilante. It did, however, make for a scared Felicity.

“Felicity?” Oliver’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Where’d you go?”

She glanced at her husband, who was staring at her with a curious expression. “Hmm? Oh, nowhere. What were we talking about?”

“I said maybe we could go clothes shopping on Saturday. We could make a day of it, if you’re not busy.” Thea replied.

“That would be great. Seriously, nothing fits me anymore. How is that possible this early on?”

Thea gasped in excitement. “Ooh! Maybe you’re having twins.”

Oliver, who had just taken a sip of his drink, choked and spluttered. “Twins? They don’t run in our family, Thea.”

“Nor in mine. Don’t even joke about that, Thea. I think one is more than enough right now.”

Thea shrugged, smirking as she returned her attention to her food.

* * *

 

“Thea Queen you jinxed me!” Felicity’s loud voice rang through the Foundry late the next evening.

Thea turned, zipping up her red jacket, and frowned at the expression on her sister-in-law’s face. “What did I do?”

She turned her eyes on her brother, who was standing behind his wife with a slightly shocked expression. Thea’s concern grew. Today had been Felicity’s twelve-week scan. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

Felicity let out a bark of laughter. “Baby? No, nothing’s wrong.”

“Then what’s-“

“Except the fact that there are two of them.”

“Oh…” Thea’s eyes widened as the information sunk in. “Oh!”

Felicity shook her head. “Yeah, not exactly my reaction when I heard the words.”

She sank down into her chair and leaned back, resting her hands over her stomach. Oliver stood close, his hand squeezing her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. But Thea could see he was as lost as Felicity.

“Um guys? Not to be presumptuous here but… isn’t this good news?”

Felicity glared at her, but Thea took no offence because she knew that it wasn’t really directed at her. She was just freaked out.

“We just… we weren’t prepared, that’s all. It’s a bit of a shock.” Oliver replied, sighing as he knelt down next to Felicity’s chair. Thea watched as he took her hand and raised it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles gently. They stared at each other for the longest time, their eyes locked, a silent conversation without the need for words.

After a while, they seemed calmer, so Thea cleared her throat. “So… two babies huh?”

They both turned their heads to look at her, but Felicity’s earlier anxiety seemed to have lessened. “I guess so.”

“You know what this means, right?”

Oliver tilted his head as he gave her a wary look. “What?”

“Double the shopping fun!” Thea clapped excitedly. “I can’t wait. Oh, Felicity just think of all the cute little matching outfits we can get for them.”

As Oliver groaned, Felicity chuckled. “That would be cute.”

Thea grinned. “See? It’s not so bad. Two is always better than one.”

* * *

 

“Are you comfortable?” Oliver asked, hovering over his wife as she lay on the hospital bed. She nodded, smiling as she rubbed a hand over her belly whilst propping her other arm behind her head. At just over twenty weeks, she was getting fairly big, and although she was suffering with her back, she never complained. But he saw her discomfort; he saw everything that she tried to hide from him.

He did everything that he could to make her more comfortable, daily back and foot rubs, running her soothing baths, collecting her favourite food whenever she craved it. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.

“Oliver?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to know?”

He frowned as he readjusted her pillow. “Do I want to know what?”

She grabbed his hand, stilling his movements, and waited for him to look at her. “The sex of the babies. Because I think I’ve had enough surprises for one pregnancy, and I’d kind of like to know. Is that okay?”

He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “I would like to know too. So yes, it’s fine.”

She tugged on the collar of his shirt, bringing him closer so that she could kiss him and he went willingly, one hand coming up to rest over hers on her belly.

“Knock, knock.” A voice said in the doorway, and he pulled back to see Felicity’s doctor there with a smile on his face. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Felicity flushed, which was still so adorable to him, and tried to sit up a little straighter. “Hi doctor Carter.”

“Now, Felicity what did I tell you? It’s Richard to you. I think we’ve known each other long enough by now.”

She chuckled as he took a seat next to the bed and lifted her shirt to expose her stomach. “How are we doing today?”

“We’re fine. A little achy but I guess that’s to be expected when you’re carrying two humans at the same time. But I’m feeling pretty good.”

“That’s wonderful.” Oliver found himself smiling along with Felicity. He was a great doctor, always enthusiastic, and he always put Felicity at ease. “Okay, why don’t we take a little look at what’s going on in there, and then I’ll get your measurements.”

He pulled the sonogram machine closer, and then squirted some gel onto Felicity’s stomach. She gasped at the coldness, but relaxed as he started moving the wand over her skin.

Holding tightly onto her hand, Oliver leaned in to get a closer look at the screen. The first time he’d seen a scan, he’d been overwhelmed by his emotions. He hadn’t been prepared for what seeing his child would feel like. As the doctor moved the wand around, trying to get a good image, Oliver felt the same emotion well up inside him.

He glanced down at his wife, who was watching the screen intently, her beautiful blue eyes misting up.

“Hmm…” Richard paused, pressing a few buttons on the computer, a deep frown etched into his features. Oliver’s gut clenched at the same time as Felicity’s grip on his hand tightened.

“What is it?” she asked. Oliver heard the fear in her voice, felt it reverberating through his chest.

“It’s nothing to worry about, Felicity.” Richard replied, but his eyes were still scanning the images.

“Then why are you frowning?”

Oliver’s heart felt like it had jumped into his throat when the doctor put the wand down and looked at Felicity. “This is a little embarrassing. It seems I made a mistake during the last scan.”

“What does that mean?” Felicity growled, her face scrunching up in irritation.

Richard had the good sense to look apologetic at least. “Well, when I informed you that there were two babies, I was wrong. You’re not having twins.”

“We’re not?”

“No. You’re having triplets.”

The room fell so silent that Oliver was pretty sure he could’ve heard a pin drop. He blinked slowly, his mind refusing to process what his ears had heard. It had taken them a while to adjust to the news of having two, now there was another one? The thought was terrifying, but at the same time… exciting. It would be hard, but he knew without a doubt that they would manage. He pushed away the fear of how he was going to protect his growing family and looked at his wife. He frowned when he realised that she was laughing.

“Oh, good one Richard. I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks.”

“I’m serious, Felicity,” he said. “I missed it during the last scan but that’s not uncommon. Sometimes with multiple babies, it’s hard to get a clear picture. I saw two, the third was apparently hiding.”

Oliver grew concerned as the colour slowly drained from Felicity’s face. He grasped her hand tightly, his other cupping her cheek. “Felicity? Hey, it’s okay.”

“Triplets?”

Richard nodded. “Yes.”

Oliver saw it coming, the inevitable freak-out. She grabbed his shirt collar in both hands, her fingers twisting in the fabric. “Oliver! I don’t have enough arms for three babies! I only have two, and so do you!”

He tried to loosen her grip, but it was iron tight. “We’ll figure it-“

“No! You don’t understand. How can three babies even fit in here?” She gestured to her swollen stomach. “I mean, two I could sort of understand, but three? How is there even enough room? I’m tiny!”

Richard tried to interject, but Felicity was clearly unable to even hear him, let alone understand him.

Her eyes widened even more, though Oliver didn’t know how that was possible. “Oh God, they have to come out eventually. Three of them, Oliver. Three!”

He grabbed her face in both hands and forced her to look at him. “Felicity, you have to calm down, please. We can do this.”

The sheer panic in her eyes almost floored him. “How are you not freaking out right now?”

“Oh I am, believe me. But I’m also excited. Felicity…” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Think about it. Three little babies, three little individual personalities. I have no doubt in my mind that we can do this.”

Sucking in a deep shuddering breath, Felicity slowly loosened her grip on his shirt. “I’m scared.”

It was almost a whisper, but he heard her. “I know, honey. I am too. But…”

She placed a hand on his cheek when he stopped. “But what?”

“I’m just… I thought that I was lucky when I got to marry you. I thought that I was the happiest man alive when you found out you were pregnant. And when we thought it was twins, I was overjoyed.”

“And now?”

He shook his head, unable to express how he was feeling. “I can’t describe it. I feel… I don’t have any words. But I’m so happy, Felicity.”

Tears appeared as she smiled, her panic receding as she stared into his eyes. “I’m happy too. But are you sure we’re ready for this?”

He leaned down and pecked her on the lips. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

With a resolute nod, she turned back to the doctor, who had sat patiently waiting. “Sorry Richard.”

He waved a hand in the air as he picked up the wand. “Oh don’t worry about it. That’s actually a mild reaction compared to some that I’ve received over the years.”

Felicity chuckled. “I just don’t understand how they can all fit in there though.”

“The human body is a remarkable thing, Felicity. Now, since we’ve gotten the shocking part out of the way. Would you two like to know what you’re having?”

Oliver looked down at Felicity, who nodded back at him. “Yes, please.”

Richard smiled and placed the wand back on her stomach. “Alright then, let’s see here.”

After a little manoeuvring and pressing of various keys, he finally pointed to the screen. “There are your babies. All three of them.”

Oliver leaned in, gasping as he saw the three tiny little forms all wiggling. He felt Felicity’s nails digging into his hand as she looked but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“I’m happy to announce that everything looks healthy. Congratulations Mr and Mrs Queen, you have three baby girls.”

Oliver’s jaw dropped, the blood now draining from his face. “All girls?”

Felicity glanced up at him, excitement, and a little mischief shining in her misty eyes. “Still sure you’re ready, honey?”

He cleared his throat. “Of course.”

She shook her head and laughed. “Four girls in the same house. Boy are you in trouble.”

Her joke didn’t even register as he touched his forehead to hers, his emotion so strong it felt like his chest was going to explode. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For giving me everything I never thought I could have.”

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “I love you, Oliver.”

“I love you too. So much.”

“Oh no.”

“What?”

Felicity winced. “Thea is going to be unbearable when she finds out.”

Oliver let out a hearty laugh, years of pain and darkness fading as he stared at the screen, at his three little girls, and then back to his wife.

_His family._


	17. Accidents Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt. S4. Felicity accidentally eats peanuts that were given by [your choice]. Thank you!

##  __

“Wow, Thea, you really went all out.” Oliver said with a low whistle as he stared at the lavishly spread dinner table. Then he paused and his eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

Thea rolled her eyes. “Can’t a girl just be happy to see her big brother and his girlfriend? Especially since said brother has been away for  _months_  and has only just decided to return?”

Oliver nodded, perching himself on a stool at the kitchen counter next to Felicity. “Sure, but you forget that I know you. This is exactly like when we were kids and you used to steal sweets from Raisa to bribe me into doing something for you.”

Thea let out a chuckle at the memories. “Worked didn’t it?”

Oliver threw her a wink. “Most of the time. I could never say no to you, Speedy. But seriously… what did you do?”

“Great to see you lost your sense of cynicism while you were away.” She turned her attention to Felicity, who was watching the exchange with a smile. “How on earth did you live with him alone for five months?”

Felicity shrugged. “I have my own ways of bribing him.”

Thea blinked as Oliver let out a bark of laughter, and Felicity squeezed her eyes shut. “Oliver! You’re supposed to stop me doing that, remember?”

Thea watched as Oliver leaned in close and whispered something in her ear. Whatever he’d said, it clearly had the effect he’d wanted because Felicity laughed and laid her head on his shoulder.

 _He looks so happy_ , Thea thought. Her brother, who had suffered so much, was finally at peace. It was heart-warming to witness. The tiny blonde sitting across from her was a big part of that transformation, and Thea was thankful to whatever force that brought her into their lives.

She clapped her hands together. “Okay, everything is almost ready. I, for one, would love to hear some stories from your time away. So go take a seat at the table and I’ll get the wine.”

“You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble, Thea.” Felicity said.

“Honestly? It’s kinda nice to do something like this. I’ve never done it before. Cooking is actually somewhat relaxing. I even baked cookies.”

Oliver smiled, a real genuine smile that made him look years younger. “Well, whatever it is, it smells delicious.”

Thea shooed them away, moving to grab the wine. She paused for a moment to watch as Oliver took Felicity’s hand, led her over to the table, and then pulled out a chair for her to sit on. His whole demeanour was soft and loving around her, no trace of the vigilante in sight. With Felicity, he was simply… Oliver.

After grabbing a bottle of red and three glasses, Thea made her way over to sit opposite them. “So, tell me something funny.”

~~~~~~~~~~

It was just after she’d served the main course that things went horribly wrong. They’d been talking, laughing, and joking about one of Oliver’s habits that he’d picked up during their time away, when Felicity started coughing.

Oliver glanced over at her. “You okay?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, frowning. “Throat’s a little scratchy.”

Almost immediately, Oliver’s face grew concerned. “Thea, are there any nuts in this?”

Thea’s eyes widened. “No, at least, I don’t think so.”

The coughing quickly morphed into a wheezing sound, and as Felicity’s eyes grew wider, it became obvious that nuts were indeed present in the food. She clutched Oliver’s arm in a tight grip, her breathing growing shallower by the second, and Thea had never seen Oliver move so fast. He jumped out of his chair and grabbed Felicity’s purse, rooting through its contents until he found what he was looking for.

“Thea, call an ambulance. Felicity, hey… look at me. It’s okay; I’m here, just try to stay calm and keep breathing okay?”

Thea’s hand trembled as she reached for her phone, watching as Oliver quickly pulled the cap off what she assumed was some sort of injection. Without warning, he jabbed the needle hard into Felicity’s outer thigh, making Thea wince.

His eyes connected with Felicity’s panicked gaze as he held the injector there for ten more seconds, then removed it and gently massaged the spot where he’d stabbed her. Grabbing her hands, Oliver maintained eye contact with her, breathing with her, trying to keep her calm until the medicine kicked in.

It didn’t take long. By the time Thea had gotten off the phone, Felicity’s breathing had calmed to a somewhat safe level, but it was still a little fast.

“Is she okay now?”

“No, she needs to go to the hospital.” Oliver replied without looking at her.

“The ambulance is on its way. Ollie, I’m sorry, I-“

“Not now, Speedy, please.” His tone was soft, but it didn’t make her feel any better. Felicity’s face was still puffy, her eyes so swollen it looked like she’d gone ten rounds with a boxer, and Thea had never felt so bad in her life.

When the paramedics arrived, they wasted no time in getting her into the ambulance. Oliver rode with her, leaving Thea to follow in her car. The whole drive there she kept going over the food she’d prepared. Oliver had mentioned that Felicity was allergic to peanuts, so she was careful not to get anything with nuts in it. So what went wrong? How had they snuck in anyway?

By the time she arrived at the hospital, she was no closer to an answer. Reaching Felicity’s room, she stopped in the doorway, unsure of what she could possibly do or say to make this any better. Oliver sat by her bed, one hand clasped tightly around hers, the other propping his chin up on the arm of the chair. If Thea hadn’t known that he loved this woman before, she was sure of it now. His eyes roamed her face, an almost reverent smile gracing his lips. He looked at her as if she were his entire world, his anchor in the storm.

His time away had obviously done him the world of good, and Thea knew that it wasn’t simply because he’d gotten away from Starling City. No, it was because of the sleeping blonde lying in that bed. His time with her, being alone with her, had been exactly what her brother had needed. To heal. To start truly  _living_. For that, Thea would always be grateful to Felicity.

Oliver’s eyes slowly drifted towards her, and although he smiled at her, she could still see the concern so evident in his gaze.

“Hey.” he whispered, nodding towards a sleeping Felicity.

Thea moved into the room and quietly sat down on the opposite side of the bed. “She looks better. The swelling’s almost gone.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t normally take long after the adrenaline kicks in.”

Thea frowned. “How did you know exactly what to do? You were so calm.”

Oliver dropped his gaze to their linked hands, his thumb brushing across her knuckles so delicately. “It’s not the first time we’ve been through this.”

“Wow. How many times does this happen?”

“It’s not a regular occurrence, Thea. But accidents will always happen. We just have to be prepared.”

Thea sat back in her chair, the guilt gnawing at her gut. She’d done this to her. If she’d only been a little more careful, Felicity would not be lying in that bed. “I don’t know how you do it. I would’ve been freaking out. I  _was_  freaking out tonight. It was so scary, how fast it can all happen.”

Leaning his elbows on the bed, Oliver brought Felicity’s hand up to rest against his cheek. “The first time it happened, I think I panicked as much as Felicity did. We hadn’t been in Coast City that long; we’d ordered a take-away that happened to have been contaminated.”

His eyes glazed over, and Thea knew his mind was right back there again, in that terrifying moment. “I didn’t know what to do, I read the instructions on her Epipen so thoroughly that I think I took too long administering it. She’d needed a second dose after that.”

“Oh my God, that’s…” she trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

“Yeah. The second time it happened, I kinda knew what to expect, so it went a little smoother.” He glanced back up at Felicity’s face and sighed. “But each time it happens, it still fills me with dread.”

“You really love her.”

“I really do.”

Thea ran a hand through her short brown hair. “I’m so sorry, Ollie. I don’t know how this happened. I was so careful.”

His eyes finally moved to her, she saw no blame there, no anger. Just love. “Hey, it’s not your fault, Speedy. Accidents happen. It could’ve been anything, but we do need to check so that it doesn’t happen again.”

She shook her head. “Oh no, next time we are definitely getting take-out. Or you’re cooking.”

“As long as I don’t have to, I’m really terrible at it.” Felicity croaked, her voice rough and raw.

As her eyes slowly fluttered open, Oliver stood up to lean over her, brushing his lips across hers. He held her hand tight to his chest as he brought the other one up to stroke her cheek. “Hey there. Welcome back.”

“You’re quite a sight to wake up to.” she replied with a grin.

Thea leaned forward to grasp Felicity’s free hand. “Felicity… I’m really-“

“Thea, don’t apologise, please.” Warm blue eyes connected with hers, and Thea finally felt a little of the guilt ease. “It wasn’t your fault. I’ve had these reactions my whole life. I’m pretty used to it by now.”

Her nonchalant attitude baffled Thea. “Don’t you ever get scared?”

“Of course, but I can’t live in fear of it. I refuse to let it control my life. But like Oliver said, accidents sometimes happen. I am sorry that you had to witness it though, it can get pretty ugly.”

“I was terrified, Felicity. It all happened so fast.”

Felicity squeezed her hand and smiled at her. “Hey, look at me. I’m fine. A little sleepy, and a headache that would rival the worst hangover ever, but fine.”

Thea nodded and watched as Felicity returned her attention to Oliver, who was still leaning over her. He touched his forehead to hers, letting out a little sigh.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing you like that. But yes, now that you’re awake, I’m good.”

Felicity gently released Thea’s hand, and reached up to cup Oliver’s cheek. Their eyes connected, and something passed between them in that moment. It was so intimate that Thea felt a little uncomfortable being in the room with them.

Getting up from the chair, she silently made her way to the door, pausing for a second to look back. Oliver pressed a tender kiss to Felicity’s forehead, an act so gentle that Thea practically melted.

Leaving them to their moment together, Thea made her way out of the room with a smile on her face. Oh yeah, her brother was going to be just fine. With Felicity by his side, he was going to be great.


	18. Tell Us A Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT : Oliver tell their children how he met their mom and Felicity is listening everything behind the door. I let you choose what best for the rest but I think it would be cool !

The house was silent by the time Felicity arrived home, the only light coming from the living room, so she knew that Oliver was still up. With great effort, she managed to get her key into the lock and twist it, catching herself as the door opened abruptly. Taking a moment to centre herself, Felicity entered the living room, wanting nothing more than to just curl up in her husband’s arms.

She loved girls’ night, Thea and Lyla were always a blast, and it was the one night a month where she could really let her hair down. But at the end of the night, when the wine was gone and the subject turned to the men in their lives, Felicity always found herself missing her husband. Like, _really_ missing him. Which was crazy, considering how much time they spent together.

Standing in the doorway to the living room, Felicity was surprised to find that her husband was nowhere in sight. Turning back towards the stairs, she stopped and listened, smiling to herself when she heard his voice. Slowly, she made her way up, pausing every so often to get her bearings. Wine and stairs definitely did not mix well.

As she tiptoed closer to her daughters’ bedroom door, the soft tones of his voice washed over her, making her feel warm and safe. She leaned closer, peeking through a crack in the door, and the sight before her melted her heart. Oliver sat in the middle of the bed, with one little four-year-old on one side, and her twin sister on the other. Both had an arm wrapped around his torso as they cuddled up to him, and Oliver had his attention on the book in front of him.

“Okay girls, time for sleep now.”

“No!” Emily spoke up first, looking up at her father with the pout that Felicity knew he couldn’t say no to. He’d once told her that it was bad enough coming from her, let alone two little angelic faces. All hope was lost once they turned it on him, and they knew it. “Please, one more Daddy.”

“Emily, it’s after midnight, you two have already had two stories. It’s time for sleep.”

“We slept already.” Sophie said, smiling innocently up at him, and Felicity had to bite her lip to hold back a chuckle. Her daughters certainly knew how to play their father.

Oliver rolled his eyes, and placed the book on the nightstand. “You slept for two hours. Come on girls, give me a break here. Mommy is gonna get angry with me if I let you stay up any later.”

“Where is Mommy?” Emily asked, her expression slightly sad. She had always been the more sensitive of the two, always taking things to heart. Sophie was more like her father, she felt things, but she tended to keep them to herself until it bubbled to the surface. Being fraternal twins, they were quite different in looks. Whereas Emily had bright, blonde hair that was as straight as a pin, Sophie’s was a darker shade with wispy curls. Both had blue eyes and Felicity’s nose, but that was really where the similarities ended.

“She’s out with Aunt Thea and Lyla, remember? Girls’ night.”

Emily frowned. “But we’re girls. Why couldn’t we go?”

“Because you are little girls, and little girls need their sleep.”

Sophie looked confused. “Doesn’t Mommy sleep?”

Oliver chuckled. “Of course she does, but not as much because she doesn’t have as much growing to do as you two.”

“Ohhh.” Both girls said, finally understanding.

“Right, sleep time.”

“Daddy?” Emily tucked herself into his side, laying her head on his chest. “You love Mommy, right?”

Felicity saw Oliver’s forehead crease into a frown, and she wondered where her daughter was going with that question too.

“Of course I do. Why do you ask?”

Sophie’s eyes lit up in excitement. “Do you love her like Prince Eric loves Ariel?”

That movie had a lot to answer for, Felicity thought. The fact that she’d had to sit through it at least a dozen times didn’t help either.

Oliver smiled, shifting down the bed slightly so that he was lying down, with both his girls curled up against him. He stroked their hair as he gazed up at the ceiling. “I love your Mommy more than Eric loves Ariel.”

Both sets of blue eyes widened. “Wow, that’s a lot.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you always love her?” Sophie asked. “Was it love at first sight, like Cinderella?”

Felicity could practically see Oliver’s brain working hard to come up with an answer to that. He couldn’t exactly tell them the truth, or at least, not all of it anyway. Leaning against the doorframe, she waited to see what he would come up with.

“No, not quite.”

Felicity pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her laugh at the collective gasps coming from her girls. They both looked so shocked.

“You didn’t love her?”

“The first time I met your Mom, she helped me with some computer problems I was having at the time.”

Emily nodded. “Mommy’s great with computers. She’s going to teach us how to make one.”

Oliver glanced down at her, his smile widening as his fingers brushed lazily through her soft hair. “But I wasn’t… I was different back then. I didn’t know how special she was. But I saw… something, so I kept going back to her for more help.”

Sophie pondered that for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip. “So… it was like Rapunzel and Eugene?”

Felicity shook her head, smiling. Would the Disney references ever end? Considering that their latest addiction was Frozen, she doubted it. But she was glad that they were watching a movie where the love story was actually realistic for a change.

Oliver turned his attention to his other daughter. “Kind of. I mean we did fall in love slowly. But right from the start there was always something about your Mom that I never knew I needed until much later.”

“Did you think she was pretty?” Emily asked, a dreamy look on her face.

“Yes, well actually, I thought she was beautiful. Your Mommy is…” Oliver let out a soft sigh, his eyes once again fixing on the ceiling, and Felicity held her breath. “She’s the light in my life. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Do you know why?”

The girls shook their heads, their eyes glued to him in anticipation.

“Because she gave me the most precious gift in the world. Well, three most precious gifts actually.”

Emily gasped. “Us?”

Oliver laughed and pulled them both closer, dropping a kiss on both their cheeks. “Yes, you.”

“But you said three gifts.” Sophie said.

Oliver nodded. “I did. You two and your Mom, you’re my entire world. I love you all so much. When I asked her to marry me, I was so nervous. When she said yes, I didn’t stop smiling for a whole week. And on our wedding day… well, your Mommy sure did look like a real princess.”

Felicity blew out a slow, quiet breath, trying to get a grip on her emotions. She’d heard Oliver say this before; it was nothing new to her. But something about hearing him describe his love for her to their daughters, well it got to her on a different, deeper level.  

“But you know who I did fall in love with the very first time I saw them?”

Emily smiled and looked at her sister, then back to Oliver.

“That’s right,” he said. “The second I looked at you, I fell in love with both of you. My very own little princesses.”

Felicity swiped a tear away as she smiled at the utter adoration on their faces. Those girls loved their father deeply, and it showed.

“So I guess, in a way, we are kind of like Rapunzel and Eugene.” Oliver admitted. “It might’ve taken a little longer, but we got there in the end.”

Emily scooted up a little and kissed him on the cheek, and then Sophie did the same on the other side. Warmth spread through Felicity’s chest at Oliver’s expression. He wasn’t surprised, but she could see how much the gesture meant to him. Sometimes she still wondered if he even knew just how important he was to all three of them.

“Okay girls, now it really is time for bed.”

Something in his tone must’ve warned them that he meant it this time, because Sophie quickly jumped off and climbed into her own bed. Oliver stood, leaning down to tuck Emily in. Placing a gentle hand on her forehead, he kissed the tip of her nose, making her giggle. “Goodnight, Emily.”

“Night, Daddy.”

Moving over to Sophie’s bed, he repeated the action, smiling when he received another giggle in return. “Goodnight, Sophie.”

“Daddy?” Sophie sat up as he moved over to the door.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too Daddy.” Emily said.

The breath Oliver took was a little shaky as he replied. “I love you both too. Now go to sleep.”

Felicity backed up a few steps as he exited the room, closing the door softly. Without turning around, he whispered. “Rapunzel?”

A bark of laughter escaped her before she quickly clamped a hand down over her mouth. He turned to face her, immediately leaning in for a kiss.

Her emotions were still all over the place as she grabbed his face in both hands, deepening the kiss when he moved to pull away. Tilting his head slightly, he slanted his mouth over hers, pulling her body flush up against his.

“Not that I’m complaining, but…” he murmured against her lips. “What’s this for?”

She pulled back slowly and stared up into his eyes, taking a moment to just look at him. Her thumb caressed his cheek, so softly that his eyes fluttered closed for a second. “I just… I really love you, Oliver Queen.”

He gave her an amused grin. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Pretty much all of it.”

Placing an arm around her shoulders, he led her down the hallway to their own bedroom. “Well, I meant every word of it.”

Sitting on the edge of their bed, he pulled her into his lap so that she was straddling him. “You _are_ the best thing that ever happened to me, Felicity. I think you know that. I don’t know how it’s possible, but every day I wake up, and I love you a little bit more than before.”

She studied him for a few moments before scrunching up her nose. “You really believe we’re like Rapunzel and Eugene?”

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head. “Those damn Disney movies.”

“Because… I always thought we had more of a Beauty and the Beast kinda vibe.”

His eyebrows rose. “Is that so?”

“Well yeah, I mean… if you think about it, it’s pretty accurate. The nerdy book girl meets the grumpy beast-“

“I wasn’t grumpy.” He protested.

“I’m sorry, my mistake. The broody-“

He cut her off again by tickling her sides, making her melt into a puddle of laughter. “Okay, okay! I give up!”

Leaning forward, he nuzzled her neck, finding that sweet spot, before moving his lips to her ear. “You think I was a beast?”

“Well…”

With a surge of raw power, he stood up with her in his arms, turned, and then threw her down onto the bed. The sheer lust and desire she saw in his eyes made her shiver in anticipation for what she knew was coming.

Grabbing the front of his shirt, he ripped it open, sending buttons flying off into all corners of their bedroom, and Felicity could honestly say she’d never seen anything hotter.

An almost predatory grin appeared as his eyes connected with hers. “I’ll show you a beast.”

And then he lunged.


	19. Unexpected Timing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Felicity refuses to take maternity leave from QI at 39 weeks pregnant.

“Felicity-“

Oliver stopped abruptly in the doorway when she held her hand up, a glare on her face that thankfully, wasn’t directed at him. She breathed in deeply, listening to the voice on the other end of the phone.

“No, Joan, I understand that. But this project is too important for me to-“

She pursed her lips as Joan, head of the human resources division at Queen Incorporated, cut her off again.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Oliver watched with rapt attention. He knew better than to intervene, but he didn’t want her getting too stressed either.

“Joan, I feel fine. I’m not due for another week. I don’t really see what the big deal is.”

As Joan fired off another argument, Felicity rolled her eyes, but Oliver didn’t miss her other hand rubbing her lower back gently. Deciding to take action, he crossed the office in three strides and rolled her chair up behind her.

Shooting him a grateful glance, Felicity slowly lowered herself down and pinned the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she began to rifle through some papers.

“Yes, I understand. Company policy, yes. Okay look, I’m honestly feeling fine. In fact, I feel great. I will let you know if and when that changes but right now, I need to get on with my job.”

Oliver crouched down next to her chair as she hung up. “So… should I ask?”

“Ugh! They keep pestering me to take maternity leave already. Company policy.” She slumped back into her chair and rubbed her large bump with both hands. “Does she really think that as the CEO of this company, I don’t know what its policy is?”

Caught in a difficult situation, Oliver didn’t know how to respond. Of course, he agreed with Joan, he wanted Felicity at home, resting. She had less than a week to go until her due date and he wasn’t blind. She might say that she felt great, but he saw the tiredness in her eyes after a long day. He saw how she held her back more and more because it was aching.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to tell her that, because she trusted that he trusted her enough to tell him when she was ready to stop. It was her decision. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“She’s just doing her job, Felicity.”

She turned her head and fixed him with a look that he knew well. “I’m aware of that, Oliver. But you know how important this project is. I can’t just up and leave right when it’s almost completed.”

“You can, you just won’t.”

“Excuse me?”

Well, the cat was among the pigeons now; he might as well carry on. “Felicity, in less than a week, our baby is going to be making her appearance. I would really like it if she weren’t born in this office.”

The stare quickly morphed into a glare. “I thought you were supporting me on this?”

“I was… I am.” He let out a sigh and stood up. “Felicity, you know how proud I am of you, running this company isn’t easy. And you’ve done it all with a style and grace that I never had. But you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, and it’s taking its toll.”

“I feel-“

“Don’t say you feel fine. I’m not Joan; you don’t have to pretend around me.”

If looks could kill, Oliver was pretty sure that he’d be six feet under right now.

“I am _not_ pretending, Oliver.”

Oliver squared his shoulders and blew out a breath. This approach clearly wasn’t working, and he knew she would never admit to him being right. He softened his expression and took a step towards her, relieved when she didn’t move away. “I’m sorry. I just worry about you, that’s all. I’m your husband, it’s kind of my job, you know?”

For a few tense moments, Felicity didn’t respond. But then her entire body relaxed as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He breathed in her scent, pressing his face into her hair.

“I’m sorry too. I don’t mean to make you worry, but I can’t just abandon this project. Not when I’m so close to completing it. No one else understands it like I do. I _need_ to finish it.”

Pulling back, he stared into her eyes as one hand cupped her cheek, the other coming up to rest on her belly. “I guess a few more days won’t hurt. As long as you’re feeling okay. The second you don’t, you have to tell me. Promise?”

Felicity smiled and dropped a quick kiss on his lips. “I promise.”

As she moved back around her desk, Oliver noticed that she was still holding her lower back. He wanted so badly to say something, but he knew that it wouldn’t be in his best interests. When she set her mind on something, no amount of talking or pleading would make her budge.

Normally, that tenacity and fire in her veins was one of the things he loved most about her. But seeing her push herself to finish this project before the baby came was hard. Still, she was right. It was her decision and he wouldn’t be the one to take that away from her.

“Ouch!” she hissed, snapping Oliver back to attention. Kneeling down next to her chair, he grasped her hand where it lay over her stomach.

“What’s wrong?”

Through clenched teeth, she murmured. “Your daughter might be inheriting your ninja skills. That or she thinks my insides are squeeze toys.”

Oliver let out a relieved chuckle. “Why do I get the feeling that she’s only going to be _my_ daughter when she’s doing something you don’t like?”

Felicity grinned at him. “You should trust that feeling. Besides, I’m doing all the hard work here. It’s not easy growing a whole other person inside you. So you get the privilege of handling the tantrums later on. Deal?”

“Deal.” As their eyes locked, Oliver gently rubbed his hand over the baby, his smile widening when he was rewarded with a kick.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” he asked.

“Not today.”

“Oh, well the day is still young.” Leaning forward slightly, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss that left them both a little breathless. He could not get enough of this woman. Even when they weren’t together, he thought about her constantly.

The day he’d married her had been the happiest day of his life. But even now, it still amazed him that she loved him. He’d once thought of himself as broken, as someone who’d done so many terrible things that he didn’t deserve love. He didn’t believe he was worthy of having someone care about him.

Felicity had changed all that. She made him a better man, and showed him that he had a reason to believe again. She’d given him the one thing he’d lost so many years ago. Hope.  

Oliver didn’t believe in things like destiny and fate, but with Felicity, it was easy to think that it might just be possible. And now they had a baby girl on the way, and his life just… it kept getting better. He had no idea if he would make a good father or not, and honestly, he was terrified at the thought. But he knew he would do everything in his power to try.

As he stared into those bright blue eyes, he felt a surge of love so powerful that it robbed him of the ability to speak for a moment. She must’ve seen it in his expression because she cupped his cheek and smoothed her thumb over his lips. “I love you too, Oliver.”

With a shake of his head, and a smile that wouldn’t quit, Oliver got to his feet. Holding his hand out for her to take, he grinned down at her. “I believe I owe you lunch.”

A little giggle that was so adorable, escaped her as she took his hand, letting him pull her up. “I hope you brought your credit card, this might get expensive. I am starving.”

He placed a hand on her lower back as they walked out of her office and down the corridor to the elevator. “Don’t worry, I came armed and ready.”

Stepping into the car, Felicity turned to face him. “Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For being on my side.”

“I’m always on your side, Felicity.”

Her answering smile faded, replaced instead with a frown. “Huh.”

“Huh?”

Her eyes flicked to his. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Maybe starting maternity leave now wouldn’t be so bad after all.”

Confused at the sudden change of heart, Oliver narrowed his eyes. “You changed your mind in the ten seconds it took to leave your office?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Well I’m not going to argue with it, I would prefer it if you did take some time to rest.”

She gave him a sheepish look before glancing down. “Apparently your daughter agrees with you.”

“Oh yeah? Is she still kicking?”

Her panicked gaze flew to his. “No. But my water just broke.”

Oliver blinked, unsure if he’d just heard correctly, because it sounded like she’d said…

“The baby’s coming? Like… right now?” Excitement and terror both hit him at once, and suddenly, seeing Felicity rubbing her back so much earlier, made sense.

She nodded, wincing as a contraction hit, and she grabbed onto his arm for support. “Better call Joan. Maternity leave starts today.”


	20. Nothing To Prove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Olicity having a game when they go out that they both flirt with other people. But one guy gets too cosy with felicity. Jealous!Oliver

Felicity snorted into her glass, the red wine splashing onto her chin. Grabbing a napkin, she quickly wiped her face, but she couldn’t hide the laughter as Oliver glared at her from the other side of the table.

“Felicity…”

“What? I’m sorry, it’s just…my memory seems to differ a lot from yours, apparently.”

Oliver huffed out a sigh and leaned his elbows on the table. “I do not get jealous.”

“Then what was that all about with Barry last year?”

Oliver shifted uncomfortably. “That was different, you told him my secret. Don’t give me that look, I know you did it to save my life but still, I was angry. Nothing else.”

Narrowing her eyes, a thought occurred to her. “You’re really not going to admit that you were jealous?”

“Nope. Because I wasn’t.”

Glancing around the lovely restaurant that he’d brought her to, Felicity pursed her lips. “Fine, don’t admit it then. But I know the truth. So does Diggle, by the way.”

A playful glint appeared in his eyes. “You’re going to sit there and tell me that you never once got jealous of someone I was dating?”

She opened her mouth to protest, but realised that he was right. But the only time she’d felt that way was with Sara, and those were different circumstances. It had been about more than just her dating Oliver.

“See?”

The triumphant smirk on his face irritated her. “I wasn’t-“

He cut off her defence by taking her hand in his. “Why don’t we just let the past stay in the past, and focus on right now. We’re together now, there’s no reason that either of us should get jealous anymore.”

Okay, so he had a point. But that damn smirk remained, and it fuelled something inside of her that wanted to rebel. “So you’re saying that if some guy were to come on to me right now, you would be fine with it?”

The smirk disappeared, but he nodded his head. “Of course. Because I know that it doesn’t mean anything. Are you saying that you wouldn’t get a little jealous if a woman started coming on to me?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” She leaned forward and whispered. “Because I know whose bed you will be in at the end of this evening.”

His right eyebrow shot up as he smiled. “Okay then.”

Without another word, he got up from the table and made a show of buttoning his suit jacket. When his eyes landed on something behind her, she turned to see an attractive brunette woman sitting by herself at the bar.

 _Oh, he wants to play_ , she thought. Well, she could give as good as she got. She folded her arms and threw him a challenging look. One corner of his mouth tilted up as he stepped around the table, hesitating for a second to give her one last chance to back out. She gestured with a sweeping hand for him to continue.

Scooting her chair around a little, she sat back to watch the show. She wasn’t worried, because deep down she knew that Oliver would never actually do anything. They’d been through too much in the last year for another woman, no matter how attractive, to come between them now.

As he came to a stop next to the woman, Felicity saw something in his body language change, and she wondered if she was about to witness what he’d been like in his earlier years. A flash of apprehension shot through her, but she pushed it away.

Oliver held out a hand, his smile wide and beguiling, and almost immediately, Felicity could see the lust in the woman’s gaze. Her apprehension grew when she placed a hand on his chest, flexing her fingers ever so slightly in a not-so-hidden attempt to feel his muscles.

Okay, no problem. She knew that this was just for show. Forcing herself to relax, and ignore Oliver’s voice in her head telling her that he was right, she reached behind her for her wine. Instead of her glass, her hand touched something else, something fleshy. Turning in her seat, she saw a man sitting in Oliver’s chair, his smile warm and charming.

“I couldn’t help but wonder why such a beautiful woman is sitting all by herself.”

Felicity rolled her eyes because… seriously? That was his opening line? Carefully removing her hand from his grip, she grabbed her wine and took a large sip. “I’m not by myself, I’m with my boyfriend.”

The stranger’s brown eyes flicked up towards Oliver. “Yes, I see that. I just thought I could keep you company while your ‘boyfriend’ is…” he smirked. “Taking care of himself.”

He held out his hand to her. “I’m Lucas.”

Hesitantly, she reached out and shook it, but quickly placed her hand back in her lap again. “I’m Meghan.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Meghan. So, why are you letting your boyfriend go off and talk to other women? I gotta say, you’re my kinda girl.”

Felicity’s skin crawled at the way his eyes scanned her body. “That’s a shame. Because you’re definitely not my kind of guy.”

Undeterred, he leaned forward. “Who is then, that guy over there? The one currently talking to a gorgeous woman that isn’t you? I’d say he’s a lousy boyfriend, wouldn’t you?”

Felicity glanced over her shoulder, a small gasp escaping her when she saw Oliver’s eyes staring right back at her. He did not look happy. He kept his gaze on her as he spoke to the woman, and then began to make his way over.

This could not end well, she knew that. But something in her wanted to see how he would react. Would he act as if nothing was wrong? Or would his jealous side win out and show itself?

By the time he reached the table, he’d schooled his expression into a neutral one, but she wasn’t fooled. There was a storm brewing in his eyes.

“Hi,” he said, offering a hand to the man sitting opposite her. “I’m Oliver Queen.”

The man chuckled and shook his hand. “Oliver Queen huh? You make a habit of leaving your date at a table to entertain others?”

“Do you make it a habit of swooping in on vulnerable women?”

The disdain in his voice wasn’t hard to miss. But Lucas apparently hadn’t detected it. “I would hardly call her vulnerable.”

Though she wasn’t vulnerable, there was no way he could know that. Which made his behaviour sleazier, and she found herself actually wishing that Oliver would get at least a little angry.

Instead, he turned to her and smiled. “You ready to go, Felicity?”

She nodded and reached for her purse, freezing when the other man’s hand landed on hers. “I thought you said your name was Meghan.”

She waited for the inevitable explosion, for Oliver to grab him by the throat or pin his head to the table. But it didn’t come. In fact, he just stood there, watching carefully but not moving.

“Oh come on,” she scoffed, snatching her hand away. “You sit down uninvited at my table, with a cheesy line, and expect me to give you my real name? Not to mention that all you did was bash my boyfriend, and act like I owed you something because you gave me the time of day. Believe me, I am not that desperate.”

She stood up and smoothed down her knee length purple dress, hooking her arm through Oliver’s as Lucas turned a satisfying shade of red. “Come on, Oliver. Let’s go home.”

After Oliver paid the bill, he helped her into her jacket and led her outside. He stayed quiet for most of the walk home, and she didn’t quite know where his mind was.  

“So…” Felicity nudged his arm playfully. “You were really calm back there.”

“I knew you could handle yourself.” He said, his tone clipped.

“Is that the truth?”

He glanced down at her, and she could see in his eyes that he was anything but calm now. “There was never any doubt. I know you can take care of yourself. But I won’t lie and say that I didn’t want to hurt him a little.”

“Honestly? I wanted to as well.”

“So are you ready to admit that you were jealous?”

She halted, pulling him to a stop next to her. “What?”

He gave her a knowing smile. “Felicity, I saw the look on your face when she touched me.”

Felicity wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t seem to find the words. Eventually she gave up and decided that honesty was the best policy. “Well, you didn’t have to put on that much of a show. I mean, what must she be thinking right now?”

Drawing her closer, Oliver’s hands skimmed down her sides, making her shiver. “There was no flirting. Her name was Alice, and she’s a high school teacher. I told her exactly what was going on, and she was only too willing to help.”

“Help you out of your clothes, you mean.” She said, aware that it came out more of a grumble, and hating herself for it. When had she become _that_ woman?

His fingers tightened around her waist, pulling her body flush up against his. His mouth hovered close to hers, barely any distance between them. When his tongue peeked out to lick his bottom lip, her mouth went dry, and she had to give herself a mental shake to remember that they were still standing in the street.

“What about you?” he whispered, his entire body so achingly close. “That guy clearly wanted you.”

“Ah, so you were jealous.”

Slowly, he brushed his lips over hers in a feather-light touch, but applied no real pressure. He was teasing her, trying to get her to admit the truth. Abruptly, he pulled his head back, and her lips suddenly felt cold.

“Yes, Felicity.” He murmured. “I was jealous. I wanted to punch him for even sitting next to you, let alone touching you. Is that the reaction you wanted?”

The heat in his eyes was overwhelming in its intensity, and she had to admit that it was… well it was hot. “I don’t know. It’s kind of hard to remember why we started this in the first place.”

His face turned serious. “I don’t want to do that again. We have nothing to prove to each other. You are the only woman I will ever want, Felicity.”

Reaching up, she cupped his face in both hands, pulling him down so that she could rest her forehead against his. The closeness that it brought was more intimate in that moment than any kiss would’ve been. “Do you realise how much I love you?”

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist. “About as much as I love you.”

A shaky sigh escaped her as he finally brought his lips down to hers, tilting his head slightly so that he could deepen the kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes, and when the need for air became a necessity, he finally pulled away.

Taking one of her hands, Oliver pressed it against his heart. “This right here, it’s all for you. You have all of me, Felicity. For as long as you want me.”

Tears sprung to life in her eyes as she let her hand caress his chest. Swallowing hard, she placed his other hand over her own heart. “Forever’s a long time, Oliver.”

His entire face lit up at her words. “Not long enough.”


	21. In His Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PROMPT: As Oliver and Felicity travel, Oliver asks people to take his and Felicity's pictures at all the places they see.

“Wow, I didn’t realise how many pictures we have.” Felicity said, browsing through a stack of photos. A glass of wine appeared in her line of sight, and she looked up into the smiling eyes of her boyfriend.

A wave of excitement ran through her at that word. _Boyfriend_. Even after five months, she still wasn’t used to it. Probably never would be, and that was fine by her. She loved the feeling that one simple word gave her. 

“Not that many.” He replied, taking a seat next to her on the sofa. He placed his glass down on the coffee table next to hers.

“Oliver, there’s over fifty at least. And that’s only the ones we printed out.”

He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips, before turning his attention to the stack in her hands. “Let’s see.”

He pulled out a picture of the two of them standing side by side. “I love this one. You look so happy here.”

They were standing in front of the mountains, the crystal clear lake capturing their reflection so beautifully. “It’s one of my favourites too.”

She remembered the day it was taken, the hike that was exhausting but exhilarating, and the look on Oliver’s face. She hadn’t been able to stop staring at him. He’d looked so peaceful and… free.

She let out a snort. “Remember the guy who took this?”

Oliver chuckled. “Yeah. I still think he had a crush on you.”

“You asked him to take a photo; he took it and moved on. How do you translate that into him having a crush on me?”

“He kept staring at you.”

“He was lining up the shot.”

“Still…”

“You think every guy has a crush on me.” She said, nudging him playfully as she pulled another photo from the stack.

“I love this one. This is my favourite.” Her face was tilted up to the sky, and Oliver was kissing her cheek. He did that a lot, she realised. He was always planting little kisses on her somewhere, her head, her forehead, her cheek. He never stopped, and she loved it. It made her feel… cherished. That wasn’t something she’d had a lot of in her life.

Glancing across, Oliver’s face lit up. “I still can’t believe you got that monk to take that one.”

Felicity lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “He was willing. After a little tutoring on how to use a smart phone, that is.”

A small contented sigh escaped him as he looked back down at the next photo in the stack. “This one is _my_ favourite.”

“Really?”

She had to admit, it rivalled the cheek-kiss photo for the top spot. “How many times did that kid take the same picture?”

“I lost count. There were about ten on my phone when he handed it back. Most of them were blurry or had my head cut off. But _this_ one…”

It was a beautiful photo. She remembered standing next to him, ready to adopt the usual pose, when he’d grabbed her hand and pulled her in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, leaned his cheek against her hair, and she had practically melted. Her hands came up to lie on his muscular arms, and the smiles on their faces were almost mesmerising.

“This one is definitely going in a frame.” Oliver said, and she didn’t miss the way his thumb gently caressed her face in the picture.

Turning his head towards her, he smiled, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling. Again, it struck her just how happy he seemed. After so much pain, they were finally together. Living in a gorgeous house, in a fantastic neighbourhood, Felicity didn’t think it could possibly get any better.

Placing her hand over his, she leaned into him, smiling when she felt him drop a kiss to her hair. “I love seeing you like this.”

“Like what?” he murmured against her hair.

“Happy, content.” She pulled away to look up at him. “At peace.”

He placed the photo back down on the coffee table with care, and then cupped her cheek. “That’s how you make me feel, Felicity. When I look at you, every bad thing that ever happened to me, doesn’t feel so bad anymore. I feel like I can finally just… let it all go.”

Her heart lurched in her chest at his words. “I’m glad. You deserve that.”

He fell back against the cushions, pulling her with him. “I love you so much.”

Felicity glanced at the stack of photos, each one telling its own tale of their time away. Leaning her chin on his shoulder, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. “I love you too, Oliver.”


	22. By the Light of the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little drabble inspired by tonight's lunar eclipse.

 

“So what time is this thing supposed to start?” Oliver asked, pulling the blanket higher over his and Felicity’s legs.

Sitting in front of him, between his legs, Felicity leaned back against his chest. “It started an hour ago. We’re almost getting to the good part.”

Oliver hummed in response, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Ever since she’d told him about the lunar eclipse, she’d been so excited to see it. Although it wasn’t exactly his thing, he couldn’t deny seeing her like this was adorable. She’d meticulously set out a late night picnic on the roof of their apartment building, with pillows and blankets, and enough food to feed a small army.

Still, he could think of better ways to spend their evening than freezing on the roof, waiting for the moon to turn red. Not that he would ever turn down an opportunity to have her in his arms like this. He tightened his embrace a little more, so that there was no space between their bodies.

“It’s so pretty.” She sighed, resting her head against his shoulder.

Without taking his eyes off her, he smiled. “It certainly is.”

She turned her gaze to his, and giggled. “That was so cheesy, Oliver.”

Reaching up to cup her face, he placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. “It’s your fault; you bring out the cheesiness in me.”

Rolling her eyes, she returned her attention back to the sky, once again resting her head on his shoulder. A soft sigh escaped her when he lowered his head to pepper kisses along her jawline. Her hands covered his, making him gasp against her neck.

“Felicity, you’re freezing.”

She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“Then why are you shivering too?”

She threw him a wink. “That’s just what you do to me.”

He let out a bark of laughter. “As much as I want to believe that right now, I know you’re lying. We should go back downstairs and watch this from the window or something.”

“Don’t you dare move a muscle. I have been waiting weeks to see this, I’m not about to give up right when it gets interesting.” She wiggled enticingly against him, making him groan. “Besides, I have you to warm me up.”

“Now who’s the cheesy one?”

She chuckled and wrapped the blanket up around her shoulders, and Oliver knew there would be no amount of convincing that could make her move.

Taking her cold hands in his warm ones, Oliver rubbed them as he swayed their bodies gently from side to side. He really did love having her in his arms. She just seemed to fit so well there. Nights like this were a rare thing for them lately. With him running for Mayor and her running Palmer Tech, it didn’t exactly leave them with a lot of alone time. He missed the simplicity of just sitting quietly, holding her against him.

They stayed like that for a while, both of them silent. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but when he looked up at the sky, he was surprised to see the moon had changed. It was now totally eclipsed. Even though he hadn’t really been interested at the start, he had to admit that the deep orangey red hue was fascinating to witness.

“You were right, it is beautiful.” He whispered in her ear. When he didn’t get a response, he glanced down to see that Felicity was fast asleep. With a chuckle, he nudged her gently. “Felicity, wake up.”

She stirred slightly. “No.”

Pressing his lips together to keep from laughing, he nudged her again. Waking Felicity up in the mornings was never an easy task, and he didn’t expect it to be any different now. She’d had a long day of meetings today, and she was exhausted. Half of him was tempted to just carry her back down to their apartment and let her sleep. But he knew how much she’d wanted to see the moon. Not only that, she would probably kill him if she discovered that he’d let her sleep through the whole thing.

“Felicity, the moon’s red. Wake up.”

Turning her head, she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, her warm breath tickling his flesh. “You been drinking? Moons aren’t red, Oliver.”

“This one is. Come on, wake up now.” He shook her a little more forcefully, and finally she opened her eyes to glare up at him.

He couldn’t stop himself; he just had to kiss her. He brought his head down to capture her mouth in a searing kiss that left him a little breathless, and when he pulled back, he was pleased to see that she was definitely awake now. Her eyes were wide and focused on him, her tongue peeking out to wet her lips.

Gently, he grasped her chin and turned her head so that she could see the sky. “Look. It’s red.”

“Oh wow. It’s… wow.” Since he’d already had his fill, Oliver chose to watch Felicity as she studied the moon. There was so much passion in those blue eyes that he loved so much. Her jaw dropped in awe as she snapped a couple of pictures. They were blurry, but Oliver knew that wouldn’t matter to her. She was capturing this moment, creating a memory that would last forever.

“Have you ever seen anything so spectacular?” she asked, and he sensed that she wasn’t really waiting for an answer.

“When I was on the island, I used to stare at the moon a lot.”

She turned her head, concerned eyes latching on to him. He’d been opening up about his time there a lot lately, and he knew that it was important to her. She wanted to understand him better, to know what he’d been through.

“The sky was so beautiful at night when there weren’t any clouds. I used to lie there, wondering what my family was doing at that moment. Knowing that they were possibly looking up at the same thing that I was gave me a little… solace I guess.”

She shifted within the circle of his arms, turning so that she could face him. One hand came up to cup his cheek, her thumb caressing his skin so gently that it made him sigh.

“It made you feel less alone.”

He nodded, leaning into her touch.

“I used to do that too. Sometimes, when I was a kid, I used to look at the moon and wonder where my dad was. What he was doing, and who he was with. But the thought of him looking at the moon at the same time as me, made me feel…”

“Connected.”

“Yeah.”

She fell silent after that, returning her attention to the sky, her fingers playing absently with his beneath the blanket.

“I love you, Felicity.” He whispered, burying his face in her neck. “You know that I’ll never leave you, right?”

“I do.” She reached up behind her and cupped the back of his head, her fingers scratching lightly at his scalp. “I love you, too.”

Raising his head, he caught her trying to stifle a yawn, but her eyes were still glued to the eclipse. It would be next to impossible to get her to move until it had ended.

“Oliver?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m freezing.”

Laughter bubbled up to the surface as his hands slipped beneath her thick coat. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing that I know exactly how to warm you up.”

“Hmm…” she murmured against his lips. “You really do.”


	23. The Perfect Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow up to Unexpected Timing (Chapter 19) http://archiveofourown.org/works/3946558/chapters/10592328

 

“You need to sit down.”

“Oliver, we’re in an elevator. Where do you suggest I sit?”

His eyes raked over her body as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Good point, why isn’t this thing going faster?”

Oliver felt like he was about to burst, his mind going in several different directions at once. His heart hammered inside his chest, his mouth went dry, and he suddenly felt like he was about to throw up.

 _This is it_ , he thought. He was about to become a father. It was… terrifying. He’d been so prepared for this; he’d done trial runs from their apartment to the hospital, even from Queen Incorporated and the Foundry too. He’d read every book, made notes from every antenatal class, and all of that did not help him one bit in this moment. Everything he’d learned had flown right out of his head the second he’d realised what was happening.

It was ironic really; Oliver could face danger head on, and not bat an eye. Yet the imminent arrival of his baby girl turned him into… well, something else. 

“Oliver!” Felicity’s pained voice brought him back to reality with a resounding thud. Leaning back against the elevator wall, she held onto her stomach. A fine sheen of sweat now covered her forehead as her breathing became faster.

She pinned him with fierce eyes. “Are you seriously freaking out right now? Because let me tell you, _not_ reassuring. One of us needs to hold it together here, and since I’m the one currently being ripped apart, it needs to be you.”

She doubled over as a contraction took hold, her hand gripping his arm tightly. “Oh my God, that hurts! Oliver, are you with me?”

He nodded, swallowing hard as he wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. “Sorry, I’m right here. Just breathe, Felicity.”

The loud ding of the elevator reaching the parking level had never sounded so welcoming before. Stepping out onto the concrete, he reached back, grabbing her hands to guide her out. “Are you okay?”

Her face scrunched up in pain as she squeezed her eyes shut. “Do I really look okay? I swear I am never having sex with you again.”

He arched a brow at her. “We both know you can’t keep that promise.”

She threw him a glare. “Seriously? Now is not the time, Oliver.”

“But you just said-“

“Just get me to the hospital!”

“Okay, I’m gonna go get the car, stay here.”

He dropped a quick kiss to her damp forehead before running off. Less than ten seconds later, he was helping her into the passenger seat.

“Was that necessary?” she huffed out a chuckle.

“What?”

“The car was parked two spaces away from the elevator, I could’ve walked.”

He frowned over at her as he hit the gas and sped out of the underground parking lot. “Felicity, you’re having a baby.”

Even through the pain, she managed to smile at him. “I am aware of that, Oliver.”

Oliver concentrated on the road, trying desperately to get her to the hospital in a fast but safe manner. His words replayed in his head, on a loop. They were having a baby. In a matter of hours, they were going to be parents.

“Hey, Oliver? What’s wrong?”

“We’re having a baby,” he murmured.

She grimaced and pressed a hand to her belly. “Not exactly a newsflash.”

“I know but… a baby.”

He saw her frown out of the corner of his eye but he needed to concentrate on the road. It was his job to get them there safely.

“Yes, a baby. Oliver what…” she trailed off as another contraction came, and the low groan quickly morphed into a much louder scream.

He reached over and squeezed her hand, and stepped on the gas.

They arrived at the hospital less than ten minutes later, and within half an hour, Felicity was taken to a delivery room.

It was happening so much faster than he’d been prepared for. He’d thought it would take hours, that he would have more time to do something for her before it began.

He stood in the doorway of the room, his eyes glued to his wife as a nurse tied a gown around him. Her beautiful eyes were clouded in pain and it killed him that he couldn’t take it away from her.

“Okay Felicity, it’s time to start pushing.”

“Already?” she asked, her expression stunned.

Her doctor nodded. “This little girl isn’t waiting around; she seems to be in quite a hurry to meet you.”

Oliver blinked slowly, frozen in place at those words. This was it, in a few moments he would meet his little girl for the first time. The emotions were overwhelming, and his chest grew tighter every time he tried to breathe.

“Oliver!” Felicity’s voice jarred him out of his thoughts. He quickly crossed over to her, taking one of her hands in his as he lowered his forehead to touch hers.

“Where are you?” she asked, frowning up at him, searching his eyes for an answer. “I need you here. I can’t do this by myself.”

“I’m right here, I’m sorry. I’m here.”

She cried out, her bright pink fingernails digging deep into the flesh of his hand. He didn’t even feel it.

“It hurts so much,” she sobbed. “I changed my mind. I don’t think I can do this.”

He grabbed the cold, wet washcloth that the nurse offered him, and began wiping her forehead. “I know it hurts baby, but you can do this. You’re the strongest person I know. Just a few more minutes and she’ll be in your arms.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded.

“Hey.” Cupping her cheek, he leaned in close again and whispered. “We’re having a baby.”

Touching his cheek softly, she smiled. “I know.”

Fifteen minutes later, Felicity collapsed back against his chest, dragging in huge lungfuls of air. Halfway through the delivery, she’d been so uncomfortable that the only way to relieve it had been for him to climb in behind her and support her back. His hands were slightly numb from the iron grip she’d had on them, and he was pretty sure he’d have a black eye tomorrow after she’d head-butted him during the last big push.

None of that mattered at all.

Because all he could hear was the loud wailing. All he could see was this tiny, little, pink bundle being placed on her mother’s chest. He didn’t even hear the nurses leave the room to give them a moment of privacy.

Felicity started crying, holding her close, and all Oliver could do was stare. His daughter’s face turned red and scrunched up as she cried, but as Felicity nuzzled her nose against hers, she began to quiet.

“Hi,” Felicity cooed. “Hi, baby girl.”

Oliver sat in stunned silence as he watched his wife with his new daughter. _I have a daughter_ , he thought. Obviously, this was no surprise to him, but at the same time, it filled him with a strong sense of pride and… fear.

“I know, baby. Daddy’s awfully quiet.” Felicity tilted her head back to look at him, and he could see the worry in her eyes. “Oliver, are you okay?”

 _Daddy_. That one word robbed him of the ability to draw in a full breath. Felicity reached up to touch his cheek, her thumb brushing under his eye just as a tear fell.

“I…” he cleared his throat, unable to form any words that could describe to her how he felt in that moment. Snapping his mouth shut, he bowed his head and kissed her hard.

When he pulled back, she smiled up at him, relief flashing across her eyes. “Look what we did, Oliver. She’s perfect.”

Cautiously, he placed a gentle hand on his tiny baby’s back. Her chest rose and fell with each little breath she took, and he marvelled at how much she looked like Felicity. “She’s amazing.”

“You want to tell me what happened earlier? You kind of worried me a little. You seemed so out of it.”

“I’m so sorry. I just… we have a _daughter_ now.”

Felicity hummed. “Yes, we do.”

“I mean… what if she doesn’t like me?” he whispered.

Felicity frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve done a lot of bad things in my life, Felicity. Part of me still can’t believe that this is all real. When she grows up, what if she sees that part of me? She’s going to need us to guide her and raise her right. What if I screw this up?”

“Oliver, look at me.”

Tearing his eyes away from his baby girl, he looked into the face of his now irritated wife. “Do you know how much it hurts me to hear you say stuff like that?”

“I-“

“No! You are going to be an incredible father. You already are. Why, after all this time, do you still believe that you don’t deserve happiness? All the good you’ve done outweighs the bad, so how long are you going to punish yourself for it?”

He stayed silent, unable to answer her as he returned his gaze to the little girl who was now sleeping.

“You are her father, Oliver. She is going to need her daddy, and I know that in years to come, she is still going to need you. You _won’t_ screw this up.”

“How can you be so sure?” he whispered, wishing that he could find the right words to convey just how terrified he was of messing this all up.

“Because I know _you_. I know the man you are. And I know that you will do anything to protect her. You’ll love her more than you thought was possible, and you’ll do whatever she wants because she’ll have you wrapped around her little finger.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Oh you think so?”

“Please, I know so.”

“Like mother like daughter then.”

“I’m way too tired to argue that right now.”

Resting his cheek against her hair, he wrapped his arms around his two girls and sighed. “She’s so beautiful.”

He saw Felicity stifle a yawn as her full body weight pressed more against him. “Thank you, Felicity. You were incredible.”

“Well you helped a little.” She smiled, her eyes beginning to droop.

“No, I mean it. You are the light of my life, and you’ve given me something I never dreamed I could have. I love you so much.”

“But it _is_ something you deserve, Oliver. Please don’t ever think that you don’t. I love you, _we_ love you. And we’re not going anywhere. We’re a family now. I just need you to remember one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That our light will always chase away your shadows.”

Oliver’s heart swelled with love as he kissed her once more.

She shifted a little so that she was lying sideways, and his breath caught in his chest when she placed the baby between them. The movement woke her, and instead of the wailing he’d expected, he was stunned when her little blue eyes latched onto his face.

Yes, Oliver thought, this was it. This was his family, and it was all he would ever need.

With watery eyes, he watched as Felicity finally succumbed to the exhaustion, then he turned his gaze down to the bright eyed little girl lying on his chest. He brushed the back of her clenched fist tenderly with one finger, marvelling at how small it was.  

“Hi sweetie. I’m your daddy.”


	24. Baby Parkour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration can come from the strangest of places. I was watching some vines yesterday and when I saw a particular one, it made me laugh and wonder how Oliver and Felicity would react in the same situation. Thus, this little one shot was born. Enjoy :D

 

“Okay sticky fingers, let’s get you clean.” Felicity kneeled on the floor next to the bathtub, standing her eighteen-month-old son in front of her. “I swear you got more sauce on you than in you.”

“Arms up, tall like a tree,” she instructed as she lifted his shirt up and over his head. Tommy grinned, keeping his arms raised even after she’d removed his shirt so Felicity couldn’t resist tickling him. He dissolved into a puddle of laughter, squeezing his arms down around her wiggling fingers.

“Momma, stop!”

Felicity laughed as she continued her assault. It never failed to amaze her, how wonderfully precious and adorable a baby’s laughter could be. Each time she heard it, her heart swelled just a little bit more. Tommy was such a happy child. He found joy in the simplest of things.

Felicity smiled as she recalled his reaction to discovering a sheet of bubble wrap earlier that day. He’d been so fascinated with it, studying it intently. But when he’d popped a bubble by accident, his little face lit up, reminding her so much of Oliver’s expression when she’d first told him she was pregnant. Sheer joy and happiness. She was glad that her baby boy had inherited most of his looks from his father. Though the mop of brown curls were definitely from her side. 

“Okay, little man,” she said, her laughter fading as she wiped a tear from her eye. “Bath time.”

As she reached for his shorts, Tommy squealed and ran for the open door.

“Tommy!”

She tried to grab him, but he was too fast. By the time she reached the door, he was heading straight for the stairs.

“Thomas Robert Queen, you stop right there!” she yelled, panic seizing her chest in an iron grip as her son turned around. She ran forward, her heart hammering, just as he crouched down.

“Tommy!”

With a cheeky grin, he slid backwards down the stairs on his belly, giggling the whole way. She stood at the top of the stairs, shocked as she watched her toddler simply get up and run into the living room, his laughter floating in his wake.

“What the…?”

She ran down the stairs, and into the living room. He’d already found the tv remote and was trying to figure out how to turn it on. Ignoring his protests, she picked him up and checked him over.

Satisfied that he seemed to be okay, she hugged him tight. “Baby, you can’t scare Momma like that.”

Her racing heart finally started to calm as she carried him back upstairs and into the bathroom. Closing the door this time, she quickly got the rest of him undressed and into the bath.

He played with his toys happily while she washed him, laughing when he dunked his Flash action figure, sending a wave of water straight up into Felicity’s face.

“Momma, all wet!” he sang, splashing her again.

Felicity sighed, running a tender hand over his wet head of curls. “You, my baby boy, are too much like your father for your own good sometimes.”

By the time she’d gotten him dried off and into his pyjamas, he’d calmed down a little. He rested his head on her shoulder as she carried him through to his bedroom, his eyelids starting to droop.

She inhaled the sweet scent of her little boy as she laid him down in what he called his ‘big boy bed’. It still had a guard on the side to stop him falling out in the middle of the night. But since he had taken to climbing out of his crib, they’d had no choice but to get him a toddler bed. It had saddened her at the time because it meant that her baby boy was no longer a baby.

She crouched down next to the bed, stroking a finger down his little nose. “You want a story, little man?”

Tommy grinned and clapped his hands together. “Story!”

Unable to resist the cuteness, Felicity leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek before turning to reach for his favourite book.

The front door opened and closed downstairs, followed closely by her husband’s voice. “Felicity?”

Tommy gasped. “Daddy!”

He practically leapt out of the bed, dodging Felicity easily when she tried to grab him.

“Tommy…” she said, a warning in her tone that she knew he’d recognise. When he got to the door, a little whine escaped him as he reached for the handle.

“Daddy,” he sniffed, signalling the beginning of a meltdown. He always greeted Oliver at the door each night, but since he’d had to work late tonight, that hadn’t been an option. Tommy had missed his nap earlier in the day and was clearly over-tired.

“Tommy, come here sweetie, Daddy will be up in a minute.”

Her words, however, did not register, and as she was just about to reach for him, he somehow managed to pull the handle down enough to open the door. Well, that was that. He was off before she even had a chance to get up off the floor.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she mumbled, scrambling to her feet. “Hey, Mini-Flash, get back here!”

She got to the top of the stairs just in time to hear the panic as Oliver shouted. “Tommy, no!”

Once again, her son slid down the stairs on his belly, his giggles increasing as Oliver scooped him up. Felicity sympathised with him for a moment as he worriedly checked his son over. But it soon passed when he glanced up at her in confusion.

Placing her hands on her hips, she glared down at him. “He’s _your_ son.”

Oliver frowned down at Tommy. “Okay, what did I miss?”

Letting out a huff, Felicity turned and walked back into Tommy’s room, tidying some of his many toys away. It wasn’t long before Oliver appeared with Tommy in his arms, happily playing with his tie. “Felicity, what just happened?”

“He scared me half to death earlier, I was trying to give him a bath and he escaped and… well you saw what he just did.”

Oliver chuckled, earning him another glare from her. “What? I’m sorry but it is kinda funny. He clearly thought it was hilarious.”

“Funny?” she shrieked, making Tommy turn his head towards her. “I almost had a heart attack!”

Oliver pressed his lips together, clearly fighting a smile for her benefit. “I’m sorry, honey.”

Closing her eyes, Felicity shook her head and then stepped forward to run a hand down her son’s back. Oliver’s hand came up to cup her cheek and she leaned into his touch. “I’m going to take a bath. Can you at least try and get him to sleep?”

He nodded, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Felicity chuckled. “We’ll see.”

She kissed Tommy’s cheek, inhaling that gorgeous scent one more time. “Goodnight, baby.”

Walking out of the room, she paused by the doorway, watching as Oliver placed their son in his bed. This was her favourite thing to watch, because it was just such a beautiful sight. The man who had thought he was a monster, too damaged to offer anyone any kind of life, was now a husband and a father. And he was a fantastic one, too.

He breathed in deeply, crouching over Tommy’s bed so that his face was only inches from his. Pudgy little hands grabbed at his face, but Oliver never flinched. His eyes shone with so much love as he traced a finger down his son’s cheek.

“You really scared your Momma, buddy. You’ve gotta promise never to do that again.”

Tommy’s wide blue eyes studied his father’s face. “Story, Daddy, please.”

A huff of laughter escaped Oliver as he laid his head on Tommy’s chest, making him giggle when his hair tickled Tommy’s chin. “You are going to get me in so much trouble. But seriously, no more baby parkour, okay?”

Felicity smiled as she left them to their usual night-time routine. Heading into the bathroom, she’d just closed the door when she heard Oliver’s voice ring out.

“Tommy, don’t you dare!”

A bubble of laughter rose to the surface as she heard the tell-tale sounds of Tommy sliding down the stairs again.

“Yep, you are definitely your daddy’s son.”


End file.
